Labov’s socioeconomic index (1966)
0-1 LC
2-4 WC
5-6/7-8 LMC
9 UMC
Elements of Labov’s socioeconomic index
Occupation
Education
Income
Variable studied in NYC department stores
Post-vocalic (r) Prestige feature ‘Fourth Floor’ Unconscious and careful response Token before a consonant and word finally
Instances of most (r) (Labov, NYC, 1966)
In Saks
In careful speech
In word final position
Labov speech community (1972)
Group who share evaluative language behaviour
Romaine (1980)
Features found in speech of lower classes will also be found in casual speech of upper classes
Meyerhoff (2006)
Careful talk is like that’s of the social class above
Cross-over effect
Hypercorrection of LMC leads so an overlap
[a:] Mugglestone (2003)
Variant that started as lower class now perceived to be upper class