“There is no reason to believe that any nonstandard vernacular is in itself an obstacle to learning. The chief problem is ignorance of language on the part of all concerned. Our job as linguists is to remedy this ignorance.”-Labov, in 1972.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/24/us/william-labov-dead.html?smid=bs-share
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/24/us/william-labov-dead.html?smid=bs-share
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It wasn't just the conclusions he drew, but it was the people/places he'd look to find lang in use - demcratising language. & in my MA, I remember fuckin squealin at the ingenious ways he'd find to collect "natural" data😊💜