As a sociolinguist, Valerie Fridland, Ph.D. studies how language and social life are intimately connected. For this Sierra College Insights sessions, she will address commonly asked questions such as:
- What causes dialects and why do some people have one?
- With mass media and globalization, aren’t we sounding more alike?
- How much influence do parents have on their kid’s speech?
- Does language deteriorate over time?
- The important question: Did pirates really say ARRRRRR!??
In addition, we will discuss common misconceptions about language change and dialects.
About Valerie Fridland, Ph.D.
Valerie Fridland is Professor of Linguistics and Director of Graduate Studies in the English department at University of Nevada, Reno. As a sociolinguist, her main focus is on varieties of American English. Most of her research, with Co-PI Tyler Kendall, investigates variation in vowel production and vowel perception across the Northern, Southern and Western regions of the U.S. This work explores links between social factors and speech processing. Her teaching areas include general linguistics, sociolinguistics, syntax, and language and gender. She also has a video lecture series entitled “Language and Society” released by The Great Courses.