Topics for Sociolinguistic Projects
1. There are systematic differences between the English spoken in the US and the English spoken in
the UK, hence the terms ‘American English’ and ‘British English’ due to historical and political reasons.
It is highly plausible that a similar phenomenon, historically and politically triggered, can be found in the
Korean language. Investigate the (possible) differences between the Korean spoken in North Korea
(Democratic People’s Republic Korea) and the Korean spoken in South Korea (Republic of Korea).
2. Examine the differences between the English spoken in Boston and the English spoken in the
southern area of the United States. Why do you think there are such dialectal evidence?
3. Examine the differences between the Vietnamese spoken in Hanoi and its neigboring areas and the
Vietnamese spoken in the Mekong delta. Why do you think there are such dialectal evidence?
4. Compare two varieties of international English, taking account of the social and historical forces
(variables) which have brought about the differences. Are these divergences (differences) more marked
(clearly noticeable) in younger or older speakers? Are they more marked in men or women?
5. Make a study of language and power by observing the forms of address or politeness
strategies used in one of the following situations:
a. Exchanges at a tutorial session at university/ Office exchanges;
b. Transaction at a bar, shop or some other form of agency.
What range of linguistic structures or strategies is used? Are there any patterns regarding
which types of people are most polite? Are there any patterns regarding which types of
people are most polite? Determining factors might be: age, social status or occupation,
gender, and so on.
(Note: Power requires some kind of asymmetrical relationship between entities: one has
more of something that is important, e.g. status, money, influence, etc., than the other or
others.)
6. Compare the English of two informants (non-native speakers of English), one of whom
loves British culture and one of whom identifies with American culture.
7. Compare the varieties of Vietnamese used in two adjacent towns.
8. Why do human being avoid mentioning directly human biological phenomena such as
deceasing? Is death and dying is still a heavily tabooed area in your society? If yes, then
what words are avoided in your culture? What euphemisms do you find? Try to obtain as
much as possible data from social activities related to funeral arrangements to support
your argument.
9. Do taboo and euphemism are of any service in modern societies? Or are they just
remnants of primitive human consciousness? Support your argument with evidence in your
culture and/or any culture you are familiar with.
10. How do you address each other in your culture? Does the form of address depend in any
way on factors (variables) such as that person’s gender, age, ethnicity, dress, perceived role,
physical well-being, or behavior? Compare the addressing patterns of people in your culture
with English people or with the people you are familiar with.
11. Observe how young children address each other and try to describe their ‘rules of
politeness.’ Contrast these rules with those of their parents. How do you learn to be polite?
12. If more polite utterances tend to be longer than less polite ones, how do you account for
the fact that people who live and work very closely with each other often communicate
effectively (and politely) with very few words? Refer to the concept of ‘phatic
communication’.