Question Details

In a speech community, it is observed that ‘s’ is pronounced differently by two different socio-economic groups of speakers. This difference is an example of :

Options

A

A socio-cultural variable

B

A socio-psychological variable

C

A socio-linguistic variable

D

A pragmatic variable

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option C

A socio-linguistic variable

Solution :

The correct option is A socio-linguistic variable.


Step 1: Understand the given context
In sociolinguistics, a linguistic feature (such as the pronunciation of a sound like 's') often varies depending on social factors, such as social class, economic group, age, gender, or region. When a linguistic item has different realizations (allophones or variants) correlates with social status or group identity, it acts as a marker or indicator of social identity within a speech community.


Step 2: Define the terms
- Socio-linguistic variable: A linguistic feature (like the phonetic pronunciation of 's') that correlates systematically with social variables (such as socio-economic status, class, or background).
- Socio-cultural variable: Factors related to social structure and culture broadly (e.g., traditions, social norms), not specifically tied to language variation.
- Socio-psychological variable: Factors combining individual psychology and social interaction, such as attitudes, perception, and group identity.
- Pragmatic variable: Elements of language choice based on context, intent, and conversational setting rather than social group identity.


Step 3: Conclusion
Since the variation in the pronunciation of the sound 's' directly correlates with different socio-economic groups, it represents a classic example of a socio-linguistic variable.

Unlock Our Free Library

Access expert-curated educational resources and study materials—completely free.

Discover more resources

You may also like

Mock Tests

View All
  • CLAT
  • intermediate
  • 2 hours
  • current affairs, english, general knowledge, legal reasoning, logical reasoning, quant

  • CLAT
  • intermediate
  • 2 hours
  • current affairs, english, general knowledge, legal reasoning, logical reasoning, quant

Ask AI Tutor
5 left
Q1 View Question & Options
AI Tutor is solving this question...
Reading question context & options...