Lingustic Variation

     There is a growth in the standard varieties of English due to macro-acquisition, or second language acquisition by speech communities in their own local context. This happens when other languages come in contact with English and become a hybridized language. Based on the needs and social acceptability of English use, there are may different lexical and syntactical varieties of English based on location. There is no standard English when it comes to spoken word. It is perceived as a myth that there is a standard English. Initially a pidgin language is used when the speakers L1 is not shared. As this contact persists a Creole is formed as a L1 for the next generation typically.  Also within these there are L1 accents that deal with things such as such as Geographical, social identity, and social geography.
     Even though there is not a standard way of speaking, the way that certain dialects are perceived culturally as lessor. For example southern dialects and accents are perceived to be lesser than Midwestern dialects...then again I am from the Midwest...so maybe I have been exposed to that. This beings us back to the myth of the accent.

            Based on the environment and the people who are speaking, like in Shakespeare’s plays, the language and style of language that is used differs. For example, according to McKay and Kokhorst-Heng, a grandfather who tells his granddaughter a story uses code switching, which is not unexpected. However, in a more formal the setting the more “cline of proficiency” increases. Features of these variations include pronunciation of consonants and vowels, Grammar nouns and verbs, and lexicon such as idioms and borrowings.

            Lippie-Green’s article, “They Myth of the Non-accent”, defines accent as “Accents are loose

bundles of prosodic and segmental features distributed

over geographic and/or social space.” The myth of the accent is just that, a non-existent form of formal speech.  Overall everyone has differences in their idiolects. As an educator I would like to promote this and would also like to see more of these dialects represented in popular culture.