Practice question · Multiple choice
Why does Labov's department-store study show that variation is structured rather than random?
Hints
- The design asked each speaker twice, in different conditions.
- Predictability under a manipulation is what distinguishes a pattern from noise.
Show the answer
C. The same speakers shifted predictably with store prestige and with careful repetition
Why
Because the variation was predictable in two directions at once: across speakers by the prestige of the store, and within a speaker by how much attention they were paying. Random variation does not move when you change one variable and hold the words constant.
Practise The Branches and What They Are For
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