An Introduction to Sociolinguistics

The classic textbook on language in society, now in its Ninth Edition

An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, Ninth Edition, synthesizes foundational theories and recent research across the discipline while challenging long-held assumptions about language and society. This edition foregrounds multimodality by integrating signed, written, spoken, and media forms of language use throughout all thirteen chapters.

Organized into four parts, the book pairs overviews of theoretical development with current studies to build a critical perspective on sociolinguistic phenomena. Each chapter includes explorations for class discussion that question conventional paradigms, plus exercises guiding students through original research. Sign language material appears in every chapter rather than as an isolated topic, reflecting an inclusive approach to linguistic diversity.

Readers will also find:

• Suggestions for further reading accompanying each chapter to direct deeper engagement with primary sociolinguistic research literature
• Coverage of language ideologies and media discourses that connects theoretical frameworks to contemporary social and political contexts
• Integration of Critical Discourse Analysis perspectives woven throughout chapters rather than confined to a single dedicated section
• Exercises encouraging original student research projects that apply variationist and ethnographic methods to real-world language data
• Updated references reflecting recent publications in language variation, bilingualism, language contact, and discourse analysis

Designed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in sociolinguistics, language and society, and linguistic anthropology, this text also serves students in programs such as communication studies and sociology, interested in multimodal approaches to language in context.