The Sociolinguistic Complexity of Quasi-Isolated Southern Coastal Communities

Abstract

A sociolinguistic study of Ocracoke, an island community in North Carolina's Outer Banks, investigated the social dynamics of language change and variation. Data were gathered in interviews with 43 island residents aged 12-82, most of whose families have been on the island for several generations. Several major sociolinguistic issues were examined: where the Ocracoke dialect fits in with surrounding dialects; the social interactional, demographic, and psychological factors correlating with language variation; and the direction and reasons for any current language change. The study's findings in these areas are described, with examples of phonological, morphosyntactic, and grammatical variations from this and comparison dialects provided. In addition, the researchers' plans to return the community's favor of cooperation are detailed. These consist of followup activities to the study, including: writing of a popular account of the island's language history in a form useful to the community, especially the school system; compilation of an archival tape of representative speech samples from interviews, for historic preservation; and a language awareness program for the schools. A humorous Ocracoke quiz and a brief bibliography are included. (MSE) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** THE SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPLEXITY OF QUASI-ISOLATED SOUTHERN COASTAL COMMUNITIES

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