sociolinguistics, the study of the social dimensions of language use. Human language, across all of its many modalities, exhibits tremendous diversity, creativity, and innovation. As language users, people learn not only the structure of a given language but also the social and cultural norms and expectations regarding language use, including what and how to communicate within their social groups, communities, cultures, and societies.
History and development of the field
Sociolinguistics is an interdisciplinary area of study, with many inputs. Since about the 1960s it has crystallized into its own field. Sociolinguistics is generally understood as being rooted in linguistics, but it has been influenced by many other disciplines, including anthropology, cultural studies, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and more. Because language is connected to all dimensions of human interaction and social organization, theories and concepts from other disciplines are useful in analyzing the complexities of language in society. In return, sociolinguistic research has influenced other fields by contributing insights about the relationships between people, language, culture, and society, as well as about methods for studying them.
