The methods of Dialect Topography in the Golden Horseshoe
Patricia Zimmermann
Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2,3 (B), University of Heidelberg (Anglistics Seminar), course: Hauptseminar: Language in Social and Geographical Space, language: English, abstract: Dialect topography was invented by J. K. Chambers. He used this method in the GoldenHorseshoe (v. 4.3 Survey area: The Golden Horseshoe ) for the first time. “Intended as analternative to dialect geography” (CHAMBERS 1994:35), dialect topography contains - likedialect geography - methods for surveying dialect variants in a region. In its basics dialecttopography accords with dialect geography. “Both provide a macro-level perspective onlinguistic variation. Both survey people in a continuous area, making it possible to identify andisolate gross linguistic differences among speakers from region to region. They can also providethe basis for charting linguistic change in subsequent surveys” (CHAMBERS 1994:35-36).Although both methods are very similar, there are two important differences which will bediscussed in the following passages.In order to investigate the influence of non-native speakers on language use in the community,J. K. Chambers invented the Regionality Index (RI). This mechanism allows to identify andcompare the languages of different test persons. The relationship between the subjects’ link tothe region can be investigated as well as to which extent the subject talks like a local. Thismethod will be discussed in the second part of this study.
