ABSTRACT
In this chapter the focus turns to variationist sociolinguistics and its early use of the CofP model. Highly influential, pioneering studies are reviewed, and then I turn a critical lens on a selection of recent ‘third-wave’ studies in an attempt to generate some new thoughts about identifying the status of practices in a research site. The Speech Community concept is scrutinised, and I explore how its definition has shifted over time in juxtaposition with the CofP. I join others in placing a question mark over its utility for social constructivist research, suggesting other alternatives. The nature of variationist research most often means that researchers are motivated to examine constellations of communities of practice, carefully determining who might be a member of each one. The methods for doing this are well established and should be applied in other fields more consistently. However much remains to be explored in relation to the CofP in variationist sociolinguistics, including taking full advantage of the model’s ability to handle intersectionality.
