sociolinguistics

American

[soh-see-oh-ling-gwis-tiks, soh-shee-] / ˌsoʊ si oʊ lɪŋˈgwɪs tɪks, ˌsoʊ ʃi- /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

the study of language as it functions in society; the study of the interaction between linguistic and social variables.

sociolinguistics British

/ ˌsəʊsɪəʊlɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks /

noun

(functioning as singular) the study of language in relation to its social context

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of sociolinguistics

First recorded in 1935–40; socio- + linguistics

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Sociolinguistics professor at Cardiff University, Dr Mercedes Durham led research into the likeability of the Welsh accent and found people associate the accent with being friendly - but not necessarily clever.

From BBC • Jan. 3, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023