Sad news from the linguistics community: the great sociolinguist William Labov has died at age 97 languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=67399 - ThreadSky

joshuajfriedman.com • 71 days ago

Sad news from the linguistics community: the great sociolinguist William Labov has died at age 97 https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=67399

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joshuajfriedman.com•71 days ago

For one famous paper, Labov hypothesized that the "r" sound was a proxy for class in NYC. To test this, he walked into 3 dept stores (fancy, medium & not) and asked clerks where to find items he knew to be on the "fourth floor." Then he'd pretend not to hear so they had to repeat it emphatically.

benjamingeer.piaille.fr.ap.brid.gy•71 days ago

@joshuajfriedman.com @ElenLeFoll I sometimes wonder if it would be possible to do this experiment today in the US, given that experimenters are now supposed to obtain the consent of the participants.

caramida.bsky.social•71 days ago

Would never pass IRB today. And really, that’s ok.

MarCandea.mastodon.zaclys.com.ap.brid.gy•71 days ago

@benjamingeer @joshuajfriedman.com @ElenLeFoll good question.

I hope it would be possible to replicate this kind of study. If not, we should defend this possibility.
People were anonymous, it's interesting and harmless

ElenLeFoll.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy•71 days ago

@MarCandea @joshuajfriedman.com @benjamingeer And they were not recorded.

tomvanantwerp.com•71 days ago

TIL that my class can be identified, not by how I pronounce R, but by the fact that I don't know which of these stores is high class or low class.

margaretdumont.bsky.social•71 days ago

📌

joshuajfriedman.com•71 days ago

https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/myl/labov1986.pdf

lifefeed.bsky.social•71 days ago

Now I’m going to spend all week saying “fourth floor” to myself.

camillelaguire.bsky.social•71 days ago

I’m going to say it like a pirate, with excess emphasis on the R.

proudrebelscum.bsky.social•71 days ago

also

rubices.bsky.social•71 days ago

this post is audible (guy in my head saying FOATH FLOAH, tone of restrained frustration)

angolathree.substack.com•71 days ago

The whole methods section shows the true Hijinks School of figuring out the answer to a sociological question. A faded art.

angolathree.substack.com•71 days ago

getting off the phone with your collaborators and yelling ‘the game is afoot!’

laurabrarian.bsky.social•71 days ago

I once tried to replicate this at the 34th St Macy's, but the lady just said "there's a sign by the stairs"

joshuajfriedman.com•71 days ago

lol

spanishspy.bsky.social•71 days ago

May he rest in peace

nabelew.bsky.social•71 days ago

Oh, what a loss, and what a huge impact he had on so many people. I wish I could’ve met him. Safe travels, Bill.

billy-in-philly.bsky.social•71 days ago

I remember reading Labov’s research, along with Katz & Fodor, all those years ago in my intro linguistics classes. He did great work at U Penn.

booktweeting.bsky.social•71 days ago

he was delightful to talk with! just your favorite jokey great-uncle who knew a bazillion things

long life, influential legacy, may his work and his memory inspire many

joshuajfriedman.com•71 days ago

Ahhh, I wish I could have known him! That's lovely

booktweeting.bsky.social•71 days ago

yes, I only met him a couple of times but he was just lovely

I know he’ll be terribly missed

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