Sociolect
A language variety associated with a social group, shaped by features such as social class, occupation, age, or ethnicity.
Idiolect: An individual's distinctive pattern of language use. It locates variation in one speaker rather than in a social group.
Language variation: Differences in language use across speakers, situations, and communities. Sociolects are a social pattern within broader language variation.
African American English: A rule-governed English variety associated with many African American communities in the United States. It is a widely studied variety linked to ethnicity, identity, and community history.
Linguistic discrimination: Unequal treatment based on a person's language, accent, or dialect. Negative judgments about sociolect features can become discrimination in institutions.
Dialect: A language variety distinguished by systematic differences in grammar, vocabulary, or pronunciation. Sociolects are commonly analyzed as dialects associated with social groups.
Speech community: A group whose members share norms for using and interpreting language. Shared norms help stabilize features associated with a sociolect.
Multicultural London English: An urban English variety associated with young people in ethnically diverse parts of London. Its features reflect contact and social networks among London youth.
Linguistic profiling: The use of linguistic cues to infer a speaker's identity or background. Listeners may use sociolect features to classify speakers, accurately or not.
Register: A style of language shaped by a situation, purpose, and audience. Register varies with communicative setting, not necessarily with group membership.
Social network: A pattern of social relationships connecting individuals within a community. Network ties influence which speech features circulate and persist.