ABSTRACT
The chapter looks at definitions of the concept of language ideology and the notion of language ideology as a social construct. The issue of the relationship of ideology and the media is examined, before looking at particular language ideologies relevant to the study. The chapter discusses nationalist language ideology as it relates to the Irish context, and the issue of variety as expressing identity. Standard language ideology and its relationship with variety choice at both inter-varietal (Irish English [IrE] as opposed to Standard Southern British English [SSBE]) and intra-varietal levels (vernacular as opposed to prestige forms of IrE) is considered. Patterns of sociolinguistic change in the form of changes in language ideologies are described; these include the concepts of the democratisation and conversationalisation of discourse and the vernacularisation process. The concept of authenticity and the emergence of newer ideological constructions of this concept are explored. The new mainstream ‘non-local’ IrE accent sub-variety, Advanced Dublin English (AdvD), is discussed in light of these ideologies, particularly in relation to the concepts of standardness and authenticity. The chapter concludes by considering how CL tools can be used in investigating the language ideologies discussed.
