William Labov quotes

William Labov is an American linguist and writer, widely regarded as the founder of variationist sociolinguistics. His pioneering research explored how language varies across different social groups and regions. He has influenced generations of linguists and transformed the study of language in society. Here are 9 of his quotes:

But unlike European countries, America has never finished a map of the United States, only the eastern United States is covered and a few spots here and there.

William Labov

This African American Vernacular English shares most of its grammar and vocabulary with other dialects of English. But it is distinct in many ways, and it is more different from standard English than any other dialect spoken in continental North America.

William Labov

An important aspect of the current situation is the strong social reaction against suggestions that the home language of African American children be used in the first steps of learning to read and write.

William Labov

And instead of getting a pepper-and-salt effect, we find very clear and sharp divisions between the dialects of the United States, which are getting more different from each other as time goes on.

William Labov

It appears that the present-day form of African American English is not the inheritance of the period of slavery, but the creation of the second half of the 20th century.

William Labov

However, research in the years that followed found that in many of its important features, African American Vernacular English was becoming not less, but more different from other dialects.

William Labov

Well, American dialects have been studied for a hundred years or so.

William Labov

I am now completing research supported by NSF and NEH that is mapping changes in the English language through all of North America, for both mainstream and minority communities.

William Labov