ABSTRACT
The term speech community is used very frequently within sociolinguistic research, and it is traditionally considered to be one of the key concepts of the discipline. Eckert (2000: 30) neatly summarizes its importance, stating that ‘because sociolinguists’ treatment of language focuses on its heterogeneity, they seek a unit of analysis at a level of social aggregation at which it can be said that heterogeneity is organised’. Despite this, there has been and continues to be much debate surrounding the definition and application of this term, and a number of conflicting perspectives have developed. In this chapter I will begin by examining how the term ‘speech community’ has been defined by some key figures in the field, including a critical consideration of the debates that surround the term. The second half of the chapter will examine other influential ‘community’ approaches to sociolinguistic study: social networks and communities of practice. By considering these three different community models, the development of this fundamental part of the sociolinguistic toolkit can be perceived, and differences and similarities between the frameworks can be highlighted and assessed.
