Fifteen Eighty Four

Have you ever heard someone say: I hate it when people say ‘___’? When a sociolinguist hears that kind of comment, they take it as a good indication there’s something interesting going on. This book shows you how to uncover the hidden patterns in the way people speak. It demonstrates how to study language phenomena and find explanations for why certain linguistic features are stigmatized or ridiculed while others are admired and aspired to. It offers ways of probing why some features of language thrive, and others fade away. The answers lie in the rigorous, systematic approach of variation analysis. In this second edition of Analysing Sociolinguistic Variation (CUP 2025), I’ve completely re-written the traditional variationist practises with a comprehensive, updated guide to help you master every step of the contemporary approach.

Whether you’re a graduate student taking your first steps into variation analysis, an established researcher looking to refine your methodology, or a linguist from another field wanting to incorporate quantitative methods into your work, this book provides everything you need to conduct professional-quality analysis and the mark of a master — interpretation.

1. What Makes This Book Different?

Unlike theoretical overviews or scattered methodological papers, Analysing Sociolinguistic Variation, 2^nd edition, takes you through the entire research process from conception to publication with insightful data analysis and visualization along the way. Each chapter builds systematically on the previous one, with practical exercises that transform abstract concepts into concrete skills.

Let’s go back to the question: Why do people say ____? There is a deeper intellectually driven question underlying this common reaction to language behaviour which is: What is the sociolinguistic issue that causes people to ask that question? And the follow-on question is: How can I design a study to answer it? This book shows you how. You will learn to navigate the complexities of data collection, corpus construction, and the crucial art of determining exactly what counts as part of your linguistic phenomenon and what does not. Most importantly, you will master the analytical techniques that separate amateur dabbling from professional research: distributional analysis, statistical modeling, effects plotting, and the sophisticated interpretation that transforms numbers into linguistic insights.

2. Real Research, Real Results

This book is not just about theory—it’s a practitioner’s guide written by someone who has conducted variation analysis for decades. The book draws on numerous published studies, showing you exactly how successful research unfolds from initial question to final publication. You’ll see authentic examples of:

• How to frame compelling research questions
• Strategic approaches to coding linguistic and social factors
• Advanced statistical techniques including conditional inference trees and random forests
• Professional presentation of results through tables, figures, and effects plots
• The art of “finding the story” in your data

3. Beyond the Numbers: The Story Behind the Statistics

One of my book’s most valuable contributions is its emphasis on interpretation and synthesis. As I detail in the final chapter, the time comes when the researcher must detach from the analysis and defend an explanation of how it all fits together, i.e. answering the question: What does it all mean?

In this summing up chapter I demonstrate how to:

• Synthesize complex findings into coherent explanations
• Address potential objections to your interpretations
• Embed your research meaningfully within the broader field
• Project future directions for continued investigation
• Tell compelling stories that balance evidence with narrative

4. From Analysis to Impact: Sharing Your Research

But even explanation is not the end point of a research inquiry. The crucial final steps come from sharing the findings with others in a way that makes their value meaningful. In this step, you will master both written and oral presentation skills, learn how to craft papers that reviewers will appreciate and give talks that audiences will remember. I offer readers a comprehensive template for research papers (12 exercises worth!) that provide a roadmap from introducing an issue or question to results and explanation, ensuring your hard-won insights reach the scholarly community effectively.

5. Who Should Read This Book?

Graduate Students will be able to build a solid methodological foundation from day one of their research career. Experienced Researchers will discover advanced techniques and refine their analytical approach with cutting-edge methods. Interdisciplinary Scholars will learn how quantitative sociolinguistic methods can enhance research in psychology, psychiatry, anthropology, education, history, communication studies and wherever work or study involves language. Anyone curious about language will gain the tools to understand and investigate how language is used in regions, cities and rural locals, in social media and across social groups. You will learn how language reflects how societies change over time, and what linguistic innovation can reveal about human nature.

6. The Promise of Discovery

My goal for this book is to provide readers with all the tools they need to make new discoveries and share them with the world. But more than that, it offers something every researcher craves: “the thrill of discovery”, a path that involves taking on a problem and figuring it out. The process itself ends up being a lot of fun. Language variation surrounds us—in every conversation, every community, every generation. The patterns are there, waiting to be discovered. The stories are there, waiting to be told. I end my book with a spirited call to action: The data are waiting! Are you ready to find out what the data have to say?

“Analyzing Sociolinguistic Variation” provides the complete methodological foundation for conducting professional variation analysis, from initial research design through final publication. With systematic chapter-by-chapter instruction, practical exercises, and real-world examples, it’s the definitive guide for anyone serious about understanding how language varies and changes in human communities.