Sociolinguistics

Sociolinguistics analyzes significant linguistic and social variables and how they impact each other, providing a necessary basis for realistic and effective language planning and development.

Sociolinguistics in SIL has to do with helping those working with languages better understand the factors and issues relevant to their work. It is foundational to effective projects and to making good planning and strategy decisions. Sociolinguistic expertise is an important resource for planning, resource allocation and partnering. All of those involved in translation, literacy, linguistic analysis and multilingual education must understand how sociolinguistic factors and considerations impact the best practices of what they are doing.

Sociolinguistics in SIL also has to do with helping assure the cross pollination of current advances, understandings, models, best practices, and other useful considerations between the larger sociolinguistic community and SIL. Sociolinguistics is a large and vital academic field. It is discovering knowledge and insights valuable to the work of SIL. And in SIL, we want to continue to profit from, and contribute to, that useful knowledge.

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