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Document Details : Title: The Survival of Local Lexical Items as Specific Markers in Vancouver English Author(s): GREGG, Robert J. Journal: Orbis Volume: 34 Date: 1985-1987 Pages: 231-241 DOI: 10.2143/ORB.34.0.2013022 Abstract : The completed sociolinguistic Survey of Vancouver English (SVEN) began some years ago as a two-year Pilot Project. We have now interviewed a total of 300 informants - recording, transcribing, and computerizing their responses to a Questionnaire with well over 1000 items. The main aim of the Survey was to investigate, in the Greater Vancouver area, selected linguistic variables whose incidence could be correlated with numerically equal subgroups of speakers - males or females, representing three age groupings, and four socio-economic levels. The Questionnaire also sought to elicit a variety of speech styles, ranging from formal to casual, which provided the basis for further correlations. The research design for SVEN - in particular the construction of the Questionnaire and the random selection of the informants - was carefull worked out with a view to statistical acceptability in our findings about preferred and stigmatized forms and our evidence of linguistic change. All these sequirements involved close consultation with colleagues in Sociology, English, Education, Statistics, and Computer Science. |
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