ABSTRACT
This essay discusses the coexistence of the two dialects of English available to early modern London speakers, London English and the newly-emerging dialect of Standard English. It outlines how recent work in the field of historical sociolinguistics approaches the topic of social rank and social geography encoded in speech, using social network theory. One function of language is to exchange information, so that speakers and listeners can navigate their way around their world. This is the usual reason why adult speakers try to learn foreign languages. However, another primary function of language is to transmit socially salient features, so that a listener who is experienced in listening to a particular dialect and accent can infer social information about the speaker regardless of what that speaker is saying.
