LINGUIST List 8.1769

Wed Dec 10 1997

FYI: PALA Website, The Gadget Project, Confs List

Editor for this issue: James German <jameslinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Martin Wynne, Poetics & Linguistics Association website
2. MARC, THE GADGET PROJECT
3. Peter White, Latest Conferenct List

The new website of the Poetics & Linguistics Association (PALA) is
launched today. PALA is an association for those interested in
stylistics, poetics and associated fields of langauge and literature.

Check it out at:

	www.pala.lancs.ac.uk

and find out about how to join PALA, the annual conference in Bern
next year, the PALA bibliography, the stylistics chat forum, and lots
more...

____________________________________________________________________________
Martin Wynne			M.Wynnelancaster.ac.uk
				phone: 01524 65201 x92781
Department of Linguistics and	fax: 01524 843085
 Modern English Language	mobile: 0956 599945
Lancaster University		Room: Bowland B106
Lancaster
UK - LA1 4YT		http://www.ling.lancs.ac.uk/staff/martin/martin.htm
____________________________________________________________________________

THE GADGET PROJECT 
c. Marc Chattle, 1997. Copyright Marc Chattle, 1997. All rights
reserved.


Marc Chattle
Department of English Language and Linguistics
University of Sheffield
England

THE GADGET PROJECT (Word Varieties - A Dialect Survey)

REPORT

In October 1997 I sent out an invitation for people who might be
interested in taking part in a Dialect Survey. From the end of
October until the end of November, I carried out a Word
Variety/Dialect survey from a global point of view. Set out below are
extracts from the report of that project:


THE GADGET PROJECT


AIMS

There were two main aims in attempting a word/dialect survey by
E-Mail. The first aim was to find out if a multiple distribution was
possible, bearing in mind potential informants were located all around
the world. The second aim was to see if dialect words could be
interpreted. This second aim is important because there were no tape
recorders, so all the information had to be gleaned from the returned
E-Mail questionnaires.

Another aim was to cover as many countries as possible so that every
possible variety of English could be researched. There were other
questions: Would the questionnaire be broad enough to encompass all
the different cultures? Were the questions simple enough to extract
the word/dialect word required? Was the questionnaire too simple?
Was the questionnaire too obscure? From the very beginnings, there
were questions and the only way to find the answers was to go ahead
with the project.

The project became an experiment and the goal was to produce data
which showed word variations and or dialect words from a global point
of view. The experiment worked and this was especially pleasing given
the potential logistical problems when the project was conceived.

The Gadget Project was an experiment to test the feasibility of a
study of English dialect between other countries as opposed to other
regions. The project was subtitled WORD VARIETIES - A DIALECT SURVEY.
This was deliberate because it was felt that word varieties should be
included as well as [pure] dialect words.

STATISTICS

Total number of questionnaires requested and sent out between 30/10/97
and 30/11/97: 56. Total number of questionnaires returned by 30/11/97:
38. Male Informants: 10. Female Informants: 28. Number of Countries
covered: 7. Countries: England; Canada; Australia; Asia; Germany;
South Africa; USA. Number of towns/cities covered: 36. Number of
counties/States/provinces covered: 30. Male Age Groups: 15-25: 3;
26-40: 4; 40+: 3. Female Age Groups: 15-25: 13; 26-40: 7; 40+:
8. Anonymous requests: Male: 3; Female: 8.

CONCLUSIONS

The primary conclusion is that the Gadget Project achieved its
aims. Dialect words appeared throughout the project either from
primary or secondary answers. Pronunciation was interpreted by the
use of spelling and to a degree, accents were also interpreted by the
same method.

I would like to thank all the people who took the time to fill in the
questionnaire. It may well be possible to carry out a more focused
project in the near future and I will keep everyone informed if the
opportunity presents itself. If anyone has any questions related to
the project, please contact me directly at the following E-Mail
address:


EGA96MCSHEFFIELD.AC.UK


THE GADGET PROJECT
c. Marc Chattle, 1997. Copyright Marc Chattle, 1997. All rights
reserved.

Marc Chattle
Department of English Language and Linguistics
University of Sheffield
England

The latest Conference List is now available at the URL

	http://www.cltr.uq.edu.au:8000/conf.html

Apologies for the delay; it seems that the number of conferences on
offer has grown substantially.


While you're there, have a look at the CLTR's new academic programs,
the URL is http://www.cltr.uq.edu.au:8000

Regards
Peter White