Micro-Comparative Syntax, Dialectology, and Sociolinguistics

Cambridge University Press eBooks, pp. 203–227

Abstract

This chapter discusses the subdiscipline of micro-comparative syntax in its relation to dialectology and sociolinguistics. While micro-comparative syntax seeks to contribute to a theoretical cognitive model of the human language capacity, dialectology and sociolinguistics study the relation between linguistic properties and external factors such as geography, age, gender, and social class. Differences and similarities between the three subdisciplines are discussed, as well as the ways they can be combined. The chapter has a strong focus on methodology. The appendix to this chapter provides an overview of recent large-scale dialect syntax projects with links to the project websites and databases.

Authors 1

1. Sjef Barbiers corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Universiteit Leiden