Interactional

Sociolinguistics
Nancy Yuliani Martínez López
Uriel Antonio Villarreal Domínguez
José Antonio Rincón Pérez
 Background of Interactional
Sociolinguistics
Developed primarily from the works of John
Joseph Gumperz. Interactional Sociolinguistics
is a subfield of sociolinguistics that emerged
in the late 20th century. It focuses on the
relationship between language and social
interaction.

Sociolinguistics draws from various

disciplines such as sociology, anthropology,
linguistics, and communication studies
 Application
IS has been applied to various contexts, including intercultural communication,
workplace interactions, and bilingual communities.

Researchers use IS to explore how language choices shape social

relationships and influence outcomes.
 What is?
Interactional Sociolinguistics is a branch of sociolinguistics that
focuses on the study of language use in social interactions. It
examines how language functions within various social contexts,
such as conversations, interviews, or other forms of discourse, and
how social factors influence linguistic behavior.
 Characteristics
1:Focus on Everyday Interaction: 2: Micro-level Analysis: Analyzes
Studies language in daily social small-scale aspects of language use.
interactions.
3:Emphasis on Context: Considers 4: Multidisciplinary Approach: Draws
social, cultural, and situational factors. from various academic fields.
6: Interest in Social Identity and
5:Empirical Methods: Uses data-
Relations: Explores how language
driven research methods.
shapes identities and relationships.
7:Attention to Variation and Change:
8:Applied Implications: Offers
Examines how language practices
insights for practical fields like
differ and evolve.
education and communication
training.
 Examples Taking Turns in a Group Chat: Imagine a group
Talking Differently to Adults and Kids:
chat where everyone is typing at once.
Interactional Sociolinguistics looks at this.
Interactional Sociolinguistics would study how
Adults might use simpler words and speak
people decide when to type and when to wait.
more slowly with kids. This shows how people
Some might jump in quickly, while others might
change their language to match who they're
wait for a pause. This shows how people manage
talking to, making sure everyone understands.
conversations without talking over each other.
Fixing Misunderstandings: If someone doesn't Switching Languages with Friends: Sometimes
understand what you're saying, you might explain Saying "Thank You": Interactional Sociolinguistics people switch languages when they talk to
it in a different way. Interactional looks at how people say "thank you" in different friends who speak the same languages.
Sociolinguistics looks at how people do this in situations. For example, some might say a quick Interactional Sociolinguistics studies why and
conversations. It could be asking "Do you "thanks," while others might say "thank you so how this happens. Maybe it's because they want
mean...?" or repeating what they said. This helps much." This shows how people use different to share a private joke or show they belong to
keep conversations clear and friendly. words and tones to be polite based on who the same group. This shows how languages can
they're talking to and how formal the situation is. be like secret codes between friends.
 Theory Explained
Some important authors in this area
This theory focuses on understanding
are Erving Goffman, who developed In short, Interactional Sociolinguistics
how people use language in different
the idea of social "frames" that is about understanding how language
social contexts, such as in everyday
guide our interactions, and Deborah and society are intertwined in our daily
conversations, family gatherings, or at
Tannen, who has studied how interactions, and how these factors
work. Examines how factors such as
cultural and gender differences influence the way we communicate.
gender, age, social class and context
affect our communication style.
influence the way we speak.
 STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE
1. Turn-Talking Study: This type of study 2.Conversation Structure Analysis: This type
examines how people take turns speaking in of analysis focuses on how conversations
a conversation. For example, at a family are structured. For example, in a phone call,
gathering, you might observe how family how do you start and end the conversation?
members pass the word around. Who talks What roles do the people involved have?
more? Who interrupts the most? How are conversation topics organized?

3.Verbal Politeness Study: This study 4.Study of intonation and emotionality: This
investigates how we use language to be polite type of study focuses on how intonation and
in different social situations. For example, tone of voice affect emotional
how do we respond when someone gives us a communication. For example, we could
compliment? How do we ask for something investigate how intonation changes when
politely? How do we express gratitude? someone is happy, sad, or angry. How does
this influence the way we interpret the
message?
 REFERENCES
Interactional sociolinguistics. (s. f.). The University Of Sheffield.
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/linguistics/home/all-about-linguistics/about-website/branches-
linguistics/sociolinguistics/how-sociolinguistics-studied-1

Toomaneejinda, A., & Saengboon, S. (2022). Interactional sociolinguistics: The theoretical framework
and methodological approach to ELF interaction research. LEARN Journal: Language Education and
Acquisition Research Network, 15(1), 156-179.
Schiffrin, D. (1995). Interactional sociolinguistics. En Cambridge University Press eBooks (pp. 307-
328).
https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511551185.014

Sociolinguistics: Definition, Examples & Types | StudySmarter. (s. f.). StudySmarter UK.
https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/english/sociolinguistics/#:~:text=What%20are%20the%
20types%20of,sociolinguistics%2C%20interactional%20and%20variationist%20sociolinguistics.