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Descriptive adequacy in phonology: a variationist perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 1997

GERARD J. DOCHERTY
Affiliation:
Author's address: Department of Speech, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K. E-mail: g.j.docherty@ncl.ac.uk University of Newcastle upon Tyne
PAUL FOULKES
Affiliation:
Author's address: Department of Linguistics and Phonetics, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K. E-mail: p.foulkes@leeds.ac.uk University of Leeds
JAMES MILROY
Affiliation:
Author's address: Department of Speech, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K. E-mail: j.r.d.milroy@ncl.ac.uk University of Michigan & University of Newcastle upon Tyne
LESLEY MILROY
Affiliation:
Author's address: Department of Speech, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K. E-mail: amilroy@umich.edu University of Michigan & University of Newcastle upon Tyne
DAVID WALSHAW
Affiliation:
Author's address: Department of Speech, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K. E-mail: david.walshaw@ncl.ac.uk University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Abstract

This paper offers a variationist critique of aspects of phonological theory and method, focusing on advances in descriptive methods and highlighting the problems that need to be addressed in explaining phonological variation. On the one hand, socially situated language samples which have been systematically collected and analysed constitute a legitimate – indeed often vital – source of evidence to be utilised by linguists for assessing and refining theoretical models. On the other hand, variationists cannot operate in isolation from theoretical concerns, and can benefit from an evaluation of the competing theoretical frameworks available to them.

The paper begins with a brief review of the philosophical foundations underlying the tension between ‘external’ and ‘internal’ methodology. We then focus on a particular phonological example – glottalisation in English. We demonstrate that phonological models of this can be complemented by systematic and accountable data collection and analysis of the kind associated with sociolinguistics. It is suggested that the patterns of variation produced by speakers are significantly more complex than has been indicated in the phonological literature. Consequently, these approaches can be usefully expanded and extended as theoretical models. We discuss some desiderata for extending the range of phonological models, focusing chiefly on the need to account for variability and change in language.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
1997 Cambridge University Press

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