Sociolinguistics: Past, Present and Future Perspectives

Sociolinguistics refers to the study of language in relation to social factors, including differences of regional, class, and occupational dialect, gender differences, and bilingualism. Each of the five chapters of this book presents a unique perspective of the some of the various applications of sociolinguistics around the world. Chapter One describes the phonology of Spanish as it is spoken in Argentina, including a section on syllable structure. Chapter Two analyzes duabI , an Akan verbal taboo, and examines the factors that allow this taboo to be broken or used openly in Ghanaian party politics. Chapter Three explores the sociolinguistics of tourist signage, including the causes of inconsistencies and inaccurate information. Chapter Four deals with the history of the idea of a golden throne in Iranian religious tradition. Lastly, Chapter Five focuses on the meaning of a verb used in the title of Spell 17 of the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead.