Читать книгу An Introduction to Sociolinguistics - Ronald Wardhaugh, Janet M. Fuller - Страница 31

This chapter provides an introduction to the field of sociolinguistics as well as to some of the major themes that will recur throughout this textbook. We propose broad definitions for the terms ‘language’ and ‘society,’ and introduce the concept of ‘identities,’ which is central to the study of contemporary sociolinguistics. We also explore the possible relationships between language and culture, most notably the Whorfian hypothesis. Finally, we note the interdisciplinary nature of the field of sociolinguistics, as well as the breadth of topics, both macro and micro, that we will deal with in the coming chapters.