Since English is one of the most widespread languages in the world, a vast number of varieties can be found all over the world. These varieties all differ from each other and are marked by regional and social aspects. Investigating these aspects helps to prevent misunderstandings (e.g. the same words meaning different things in different varieties) and offers a lot of information on historical topics. Very often research is done on geographically far away territories as it is the case between Britain and America. This is a pity since there are a lot of varieties within British border which are worth being discussed. That is why this paper deals with a regional variety situated in England: The south-western variety. This essay will give an overview on the English spoken in the Southwest of England.
But before the essay is focused on this regional variety chapter two will present dialectology to the reader. What is dialectology? Which are its aims? Where is the difference between Dialect and Accent? Why is observing regional variation so important? To what extend influences social status the occurrence of a social variation? All these questions will be dealt with in chapter two in order to make the reader aware of the importance of language study and especially dialectology.
Chapter 3 then will deal with ‘English in the Southwest’. After a short presentation of the difficulties of locating exactly ‘south-western’, the boundaries of the regional variation are defined. Next will be a presentation of characteristics of the region in order to make the in the next chapter presented features of south-western language easier to understand.
The presentation of linguistic features will include phonetics, grammar and lexis. It will be based on Martyn F. Wakelin’s The Southwest of England, since not much research has been done on that topic and the work of Wakelin seems to be the most adequate for this paper. Furthermore, this essay will not present every feature which can be found when talking about the dialect. Mentioning all would not be capable for an essay of this size, hence shall the reader keep in mind that the features and examples are only a subjective selection by the author and could be extended endlessly. The last part of this essay will be a conclusion, summing up what was said in the term paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Dialectology
2.1 What is Dialectology? Dialect vs. Accent
2.2 Regional Variation
2.3 Traditional vs. Mainstream Dialects
3. English in the Southwest of England
3.1 Boundaries of South-western England
3.2 Characteristics of the area
3.3 Features of Southwest English
3.3.1 Phonetic Features
3.3.2 Grammatical Features
3.3.3 Lexical Features
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the English language as it is spoken in the Southwest of England. By exploring the regional variation, linguistic history, and specific dialectal features of this area, the work seeks to shed light on a variety that is often overshadowed by more prominent dialects in academic research.
- Theoretical foundations of dialectology, including the distinction between dialects and accents.
- Geographical and sociological factors defining the Southwest of England as a distinct linguistic region.
- Analysis of phonetic, grammatical, and lexical features characteristic of South-western English.
- Evaluation of the enduring influence of Middle English on the contemporary regional dialect.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Characteristics of the area
The South-western part of England is on three sides surrounded by the sea. This and its shape, which could be described as “a long finger of land”, make it a remote area only having ‘contact’ with the rest of England in the east. Large areas of moorland can be found in the southwest of England, too. Infrastructure underlines this impression of a remote, rural area. Its towns are mostly very small. Plymouth is the biggest town with about 239,452 inhabitants, followed by Torquay (about 109,257) and Exeter (about 95,729). Southwest England has a good system of communication between its large towns and even to the Southeast of England. Motorways and railway lines make it easy to get Bristol, and from there onwards towards the north, or to London.
Heading westwards is a more difficult situation, it more and more becomes sparsely populated and “isolated farms” are “the main mood of settlement plus some coastal village and small towns”.
Although the area “receives some thirty or forty inches of rain a year”, it is generally sunny and, therefore, very good for spending holidays. Eventually, it is no surprise that tourism is then one of the mainstays of south-western economy. Especially the coast lines have changed immensely due to the request for resorts and holiday activities and other mainstays like fishing have decrease. Other mainstays are agriculture and mining for tin, copper and china clay but it is to be kept in mind that this industry is in now way as developed as in other parts of England.
All in all, the south-western part of England is a remote area which, when heading westwards becomes more and more isolated and rural apart from areas at the coast who are famous holiday destination. This information will help analysing the features of the dialect spoken in that region of the country.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the topic of regional linguistic variation and outlines the scope of the paper, focusing on the Southwest of England.
2. Dialectology: This section defines core concepts such as dialect, accent, and sociolect, while discussing the relationship between social status and regional speech patterns.
3. English in the Southwest of England: This central chapter defines the geographical boundaries of the region, characterizes the area's rural nature, and details the specific phonetic, grammatical, and lexical features of the local dialect.
4. Conclusion: The paper concludes by summarizing the primary findings, highlighting the significant influence of Middle English and the relative lack of Scandinavian influence on the regional dialect.
Keywords
Dialectology, Regional Variation, Southwest English, Phonetic Features, Grammatical Features, Lexical Features, Middle English, Traditional Dialects, Sociolect, Received Pronunciation, Linguistic Geography, Rural Dialects, Isoglosses, Language Evolution, Cultural Heritage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the regional linguistic variety of the English language found in the Southwest of England, examining its distinct features and historical origins.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the distinction between dialects and accents, the impact of social class on language, the geographical definition of the Southwest, and the linguistic classification of traditional dialects.
What is the overarching research goal?
The goal is to provide a detailed overview of South-western English to fill a research gap, as this specific region is often underrepresented compared to more commonly studied varieties.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The author uses a dialectological approach, relying on secondary literature—most notably the work of Martyn F. Wakelin—to synthesize existing knowledge on the region's linguistic characteristics.
What content is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body investigates the definition of dialectology, the socio-economic factors influencing regional speech, and specific phonetic, grammatical, and lexical markers that differentiate South-western English from Standard English.
How would one describe the essential keywords of this study?
The study is characterized by terms such as Dialectology, Regional Variation, Southwest English, Middle English, and traditional dialect markers.
Why is the geographic location of the Southwest important for this study?
Its remote, "finger-like" shape and isolation from the rest of England have helped preserve archaic linguistic features, making it a valuable subject for studying historical language development.
What role does Middle English play in the Southwest dialect?
The author argues that the South-western dialect exhibits strong, persistent influences from Middle English in its morphology and vocabulary, which are less apparent in other, more mainstream varieties.
- Citar trabajo
- Jens Strohmeyer (Autor), 2008, English in the Southwest of England, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/118299
