Testing variables of linguistic prestige in sociolinguistic questionnaires

Abstract

This paper outlines a questionnaire-based methodology designed to investigate the influence of sociolinguistic descriptions on language attitudes and prestige. The approach follows a design commonly used in customer choice and market research, in which a semi-fictional entity is presented to different respondents alongside varying descriptors or values in order to test the effect of specific variables of interest. Respondents are then asked to rank or evaluate different attributes of the entity. This methodology can be adapted to sociolinguistic variables such as speaker population size, degree of urbanity, institutional support, or historical importance. The aim is to gain a clearer understanding of the sociolinguistic factors that shape language attitudes and to quantify their effects. Such findings may be useful for activists and stakeholders involved in discussions surrounding language vitality and maintenance.