Fedotova Y. Phonostylistic Variation in the Sociolect of London Students.

The thesis studies phonostylistic variability of vowel and consonant phonemes in the sociolect of London students community including three main socio-demographic sectors - the UK whites, the UK ethnic minorities and the non-UK students. The problems of identification of the varieties of English have been discussed; the criteria for differentiation between dialects and sociolects based on the regional stratification and phonostylistic differentiation have been determined. The sociolinguistic structure of the UK student community has been analysed, with the emphasis on the demographic constituents of England and London. Following the results of the experiment, a corpus of phonostylistic variables used in the speech of the representatives of London student community was selected. Phonostylistic variation has been recognized as a characteristic feature of the speech of the entire community of London students, with the group distinctions being accounted for by the underlying social and linguocultural stratification of its members. For two thirds of the white UK students, phonostylistic variation is an important marker of stylistic differentiation in formal and informal communication. The international students keep to the norms of standard pronunciation in reading, but in their spontaneous speech these norms are modified under the pressure of secondary socialization in the London students community. Generally the proportion of the informants keeping to standard norms in reading and speaking corresponds to the current state of London language situation.