Language, the Singer and the Song

The Sociolinguistics of Folk Performance

By: Richard J. Watts, Franz Andres Morrissey

Write A Review

Hardcover | 31 January 2019

At a Glance

Hardcover
390 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.5 x 15.7 x 2.3

Hardcover

$337.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $84.44 with

Ships in 10 to 15 business days

The relationship between language and music has much in common - rhythm, structure, sound, metaphor. Exploring the phenomena of song and performance, this book presents a sociolinguistic model for analysing them. Based on ethnomusicologist John Blacking''s contention that any song performed communally is a ''folk song'' regardless of its generic origins, it argues that folk song to a far greater extent than other song genres displays ''communal'' or ''inclusive'' types of performance. The defining feature of folk song as a multi-modal instantiation of music and language is its participatory nature, making it ideal for sociolinguistic analysis. In this sense, a folk song is the product of specific types of developing social interaction whose major purpose is the construction of a temporally and locally based community. Through repeated instantiations, this can lead to disparate communities of practice, which, over time, develop sociocultural registers and a communal stance towards aspects of meaningful events in everyday lives that become typical of a discourse community.

Industry Reviews

'Language, the Singer and the Song offers a thorough and convincing sociolinguistic exploration of folk songs. The book refreshes and enlarges our understanding of language and music as communication systems.' Massimo Sturiale, University of Catania-Ragusa, Italy
'Graduate students, undergraduates and sociolinguists who are conducting research or who are interested in relations between language and music will find this work appealing and unique in how it approaches both modes ... The chapters could also be adapted to a variety of graduate or undergraduate courses in sociolinguistics ... I found this book very timely in how Watts and Morrissey utilize concepts from third wave approaches to sociolinguistic variation (Eckert, 2012) to handle folk song performance. The year 2020 has given us a lot to think about and this work offers us a means through which we can all 'answer back'.' Andrew Jocuns, LINGUIST List
'It is an impressive resource for folk musicians, cultural theorists, and sociolinguists alike, and provides a welcome exploration into historical and current aspects of folk song performance and transmission, the timeless stories that folk songs tell, and the communities they build.' Andy Gibson, Language in Society

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.