Overlapping with pragmatics and related to linguistic anthropology, sociolinguistics is the study of how various aspects of society affect both our language and how we use it. This expansive topic can be an overwhelming study. If you've been struggling with your coursework, you might consider working with a professional sociolinguistics tutor. Varsity Tutors can connect you with a tutor who can help you navigate this large topic.
Because sociolinguistics deals with all aspects of society, the subtopics contained within are incredibly varied. During a sociolinguistics tutoring session, one might cover any of the following:
- Speech community/Sprachbund
- Prestige varieties
- Class differences
- Dialects
- African American Vernacular English
- Child development
- Code switching
- Contact between languages
Beyond the study of the existing material relating to the subject, one important aspect to any type of linguistic study is gathering data by conducting interviews. The ability to effectively interview subjects is paramount if you wish to work in this field. However, this skill isn't necessarily an intuitive one, and it can be helpful to work with a mentor when learning interview and documentation techniques. An experienced sociolinguistics tutor can help students improve their skills in this department, especially if they are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the interview process. Additionally, students may appreciate the support of their tutor when it comes time to compile and study their findings, as this is where the meat of sociolinguistics comes into play. Without a strong understanding of the topic, the data is meaningless, so working with a knowledgeable tutor can be incredibly helpful.