Homework 7

1. What factors might influence a person to be bidialectal?

2. We talked a little bit in class about the hypothesis that "women's speech" has characteristics that correspond to women's lower social status. Speculate on whether or not women could elevate their status by speaking more like men. If you wish, consider the additional fact that in a conversation between a man and a woman, the man is much more likely to interrupt the woman than vice versa.

3. Assume that everyone in the United States is exposed to enough Standard American English from the media, the educational system, and so forth that they could speak Standard American English if they wanted to. Given this situation, and the fact that many non-standard varieties of American English are stigmatized, why does anyone still speak a non-standard variety?

4. English spelling is "irrational" for a variety of reasons. Do you think a new, phonetic spelling system would be better than the current system? No matter whether you're for or against a reform, tell one advantage and one disadvantage that such a reform might offer.

5. If you were some sort of world dictator with the power to stop the processes that are causing language endangerment and death, to what extent would it be ethical to do so? Even if you decided that stopping endangerment was the greater good, what compromises would be required?