ABSTRACT
The notion of how a language mirrors social emphases, roles, and variables is a primary area of interest in sociolinguistics. The relation of the inner structures of language—vocabulary, grammar, and sound system of a language—to the social constructs (gender, race, class, and so on) that they encode reveals how language and social behaviors are intrinsically intertwined. In a phrase, the study of the language–society nexus emphasizes how language, speech, and society are seamlessly interconnected. The chapter constitutes an overview of central notions and methods for studying this nexus, as well as how language is evolving socially in cyberspace.
