Socio-syntax

Emma Moore is Professor of Sociolinguistics at The University of Sheffield. She was a British Academy Mid-Career Fellow in 2020-22. Recent publications include Language and a Sense of Place (co-edited with Montgomery, 2017) and Social Meaning and Linguistic Variation (co-edited with Hall-Lew and Podesva, 2021).

• 1. Why does the social meaning of grammar matter?; 2. The social landscape of Midlan High; 3. How do we study the social meaning of grammatical variation?; 4. How free are we to vary the grammar we use?; 5. How do we use grammar to design our talk?; 6. Does everyone use grammar to make social meaning?; 7. How does grammar combine with other elements of language?; 8. What does it mean to view grammar as a fluid, flexible social resource?.

'This is a fascinating book exploring linguistic variation in young people and how they make meaning in their own social contexts. It is fascinating in its own right for anyone interested in language and grammar. But, for me, its real significance is the insight it offers to how standard and non-standard variations are equally capable of communicating rich meanings, and the challenge it poses to current orthodoxies about standard English. For educational policymakers and practitioners, the book illustrates clearly the risks of language policies which sustain and perpetuate social inequalities.' Debra Myhill, Professor Emerita of Language and Literacy Education