从社会会语言学的角度分析电影《窈窕淑女》的对白

本科毕业论文题目：从社会语言学的角度分析电影 《窈窕淑女》的对白学 院:外 国 语 学 院专 业:英 语学 号:****学生姓名:* *指导教师:* * *日 期:2010年6月4日摘 要社会语言学是研究社会和语言之间关系的学科，它包括两个方面，即语言和社会。

语言可以影响社会，社会也可以影响语言。

社会是一个复杂的体系，语言也是一个复杂的体系。

语言的社会功能，使用语言的不同方式，语言的变迁，语言的变体，语言的层次，以及它与政治，社会，文化，法律，人口，心理以及交际等方面的关系都属于社会语言学研究的内容。

文学作品和影视作品既是社会生活的缩影，也是社会生活的延伸和反映。

本文选取一部获得十三项奥斯卡大奖的经典影片《窈窕淑女》为研究对象，研究社会语言学在社会生活中的应用和表现形式，深层次地探究电影中人物对白背后所蕴含和传达的含义——人物的社会地位和心理，而人物的社会地位和心理在特定的场景下对情节又有着怎样的推动作用。

本文将从英语变体，好英语和坏英语，语码转换和话论交替四个方面，节选影片中的重要片段，分析对白在人物塑造和情节发展中起到的重要作用。

本文旨在将社会语言学具体化、实践化，加深对社会语言学的理解，提高对社会语言学的实际运用能力和对影视作品的鉴赏能力。

关键字：社会语言学; 英语变体; 语码转换; 话轮交替AbstractSociolinguistics is a subject which aims at exploring the relationship between society and language. Two aspects, language and society, constitute it. Language and society are mutually influenced. Both society and language belong to complex system. The objects for exploration include the social function of a language, different methods to use language, the transformation of language, the variation of language, the level of language, and the relationship of language with politics, society, culture, legislation, population and communication.The literature work and show work are not only the epitome but also the reflection and distension of the social life. In this paper, the classic film The Fair Lady, which has ever won 13 Oscar Prizes, is chosen as the object to make a research on the application and practice of sociolinguistics in the real life. In this paper, the application and manifestation of sociolinguistics in the social activities will be studied. Implication---the social status and mental state of characters, contained in the dialogue in the film, will be explored. Furthermore, how social status and mental state of characters in a particular scene exert influence on developing the plot on the whole will be studied in the paper. The four main aspects in the research are variation of English, good English and bad English, code-switching and turn-taking. The important episodes will be selected and analyzed to find its important function in molding characters and advancing plot.In this paper, we aim at putting sociolinguistics into practice, deepening our understanding of sociolinguistics, improving our capability to apply sociolinguistics knowledge and appreciate show work.Key words: sociolinguistics; variation of language; code-switching; turn-takingContents1 Introduction (1)2 A Brief Introduction to the Scenario (1)3 Variation of Language (2)3.1 Pronunciation (2)3.2 Grammar (3)3.3 Vocabulary (4)3.4 Dialogue Analysis (4)4 Good English and Bad English (5)4.1 Concepts of Good English and Bad English (5)4.2 Dialogue Analysis (7)5 Code Switching (8)5.1 The concept of Code switching (8)5.2 Dialogue Analysis (9)6 Turn-Taking (11)6.1 The Concept of Turn-Taking (11)6.2 Turn-Taking in Show Work (13)6.3 Dialogue Analysis (14)6.3.1 Turn Distribution and Turn Length (15)6.3.2 Turn Allocation and Turn Sequencing (16)7 Conclusion (17)Bibliography (19)Acknowledgements (21)Analysis of Dialogues in The Fair Ladyfrom Perspective of Sociolinguistics1 IntroductionThis paper establishes a link between sociolinguistics and the famous film The Fair Lady, which is adapted from the play Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw, a famous British playwright, which tells the story of how a phonetician changes a lovely working-class girl into a lady by changing her working-class talk into the speech of an elegant lady. An often quoted sentence from the play is “Once you open your mouth, you are placed”. It means your speech contains a lot of information about yourself—your place of birth, your education, your working experiences, your personal interest, your mood, your state of mind, among other things. The play shows convincingly that language application and social factors are closely related.Generally speaking, in sociolinguistics we are interested in how social factors influence the use of language. For example, when you meet strangers, the way they talk informs you of their social and geographical background, and the way you talk sends out some signals about what you think of them. It is these aspects of language use that sociolinguistics are out to exam. （刘润清，文旭， 2006： 196）In this paper, the film will be analyzed from aspects of variation of English, good English and bad English, code-switching and turn-taking. The emphasis will be attached to the turn-taking. Turn-taking is a complex concept, involving sociolinguistics and pragmatics. Actually, sociolinguistics and pragmatics, sometimes, overlap a lot. This paper tries to carry on the research mainly from the angle of sociolinguistics, with the help of pragmatics.2 A Brief Introduction to the ScenarioProfessor Henry Higgins loves language. He believes that much of the nuances and grandeur of the spoken word is lost. When his friend Hugh Pickering bets that he cannot fool people in upper class into believing a woman from the streets is one of them, he gladly takes the challenge and chooses his protégé.With a fantastic, heavy Cockney accent, Eliza Doolittle, after much coercion, is selected to become his test subject. As he works with her on her diction, he slowly begins to develop an affection for the girl in spite of their glaring differences in age and backgrounds.Through clever phrases such as ‘the rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain’, Eliza slowly develops into a linguistically talented woman. To complete the transformation, she is given new clothes and a new look in hopes that she can be decorated as a refined lady.It is at a horse race that he chooses to expose her to the element he wants desperately to accept her. Prof. Higgins nearly finds success until her rambunctious nature releases itself in the heat of excitement surrounding the equine tournament.Due to his growing angry with her failures at the party, conflict begins to develop between the two which eventually explodes in tempers causing them to part ways. Meanwhile, Eliza has caught the attention of awkward young aristocrat Freddy who loves her in spite of her flaws.The Fair Lady also looks deeply into the semi-romantic relationship between Eliza and Henry. Though they are trainer and pupil, there is a bond that connects them with one another. And, although they have had a lover-like spat, they ultimately realize their affections for one another. （张燕，2009）.3 Variation of LanguageThe key point of the research into sociolinguistics is the variation of language. In English-spoken countries and areas, people from different social stratification speak English with distinct differences, which are embodied in three aspects: pronunciation,vocabulary and grammar.（靳梅琳, 2005）3.1 PronunciationThe sociolinguist Trudgill (1990) has ever drawn an accent triangle, that is :RP refers to “received pronunciation, the accent of the best educated and most prestigious members of English society in Britain.”（Janet Holmes, 1987）In Britain and USA, people can be classified as the upper class, the middle class and the working class, taking account of income, education and work and social status. Almost all the people from the upper class and upper middle class speak RP, such as the BBC announcers, teachers and students in Oxford and Cambridge, whereas people from the lowest working class always have the accent which is full of the nonstandard pronunciation.3.2 GrammarFrom the aspect of grammar, the language spoken varies from one class to another. In general, people from the upper class tend to adopt the standard grammar which people from the lowest working class don’t. For example, in standard English, people can say “ I can’t eat anything. ” or “ I can eat nothing.” However, a lot of people ranked in working class express it in the way that “ I can’t eat nothing.” Obviously, they use double negation or even multiple negation to convey the meaningof negation. As we all know, it’s not in keeping with the grammar of standard English. According to a research, higher the class is, less the error exists. In fact, similar grammar errors are embodied in other aspects, including zero copula and zero possessive, such as “He old.’’ and “we house”. （Hudson, 2000）3.3 VocabularyThe third aspect lies in vocabulary. Due to the more educational experience, U-speakers (upper-class English people ) are disposed to complex and uncommon words while non U-speakers favor simple and oral words. In addition, other vocabulary differences come from the daily words because of the different habits. For example, U-speakers adopt sitting room while non U-speakers lounge. U-speakers use lavatory while non U-speakers toilet. U-speakers adopt sofa while non U-speakers settee.3.4 Dialogue AnalysisLook at dialogue 1 :Pickering：I'm afraid not. It's worse than before.Eliza：If it's worse, it's a sign it's nearly over. Cheer up, Capt'n,buy a flow'r off a poor girl.Pickering：I'm sorry, I haven't any change.Eliza：I can change 'alf a crown.Take this for tuppence.Pickering：I told you, I'm awfully sorry. Wait a minutes. Oh, yes. Here's three pence, if that's any use to you.Eliza： Thank you, sir.stranger：You be careful. Better give 'im a flower for it. There's a bloke there behind that pillar...takin' down every blessed wordyou're sayin'.Eliza：I ain't done nothin' wrong by speakin' to the gentleman. I've a right to sell flow'rs if I keep off the curb. I'm a respectable girl, so help me. I neverspoke to ‘im except to ask him to buy a flow'r off me.This is a dialogue at the beginning of the film. We all know that, the beginning of a film is supposed to demonstrate the figure and status of these characters. How tomake this demonstration natural and smooth? One of good methods is the language. The movie The Fair Lady is a typical example of this method.From this dialogue, we can easily classified Eliza into the lower class from the hint of her pronunciation and grammar. She often curtails the vowel in words, such as flower-- flow'r, captain-- Capt'n. She often clips the consonant /h/ in words, such as half-- 'alf, him—’im. She often pronounces /in/ instead of / i/, such as taking-- takin', speaking-- speakin'. All these pronunciation errors are typical characteristics of the pronunciation of people in lower class. In addition, her irregular grammar also reveals her status. For example, “it's a sign it's nearly over”. In this sentence, she omits ‘that’ in the nominal-clause.Eliza’s pronunciation and grammar reveals her social status---working class, undoubtedly, without the help of her dirty and ugly clothes. It lies a foundation for development of following plot. Because of her lower social status, she wants to change her destiny and then find Professor Higgins to correct her poor English. Against that background, the story starts.4 Good English and Bad English4.1 Concepts of Good English and Bad EnglishGood English refers to the standard English, in which words are appropriately used and fit for rule and regulation. In general, good English is supposed to bear widely—accepted and systematic grammar and used by these highly—educated and authoritative people, which could be replete with regional accent. “ It is, however, not necessary to speak RP to speak standard English. Standard English can be spoken with any regional accent.”Compared with the dialects, standard English has higher status and better prestige, which is regarded correct and pure. Nonstandard English is regarded erroneous and corrupt. In terms of linguistics, all language, including their servile dialects, have the same status. The phenomenon that a language is regarded noble, gorgeous and pure is attributed to the social attitude. The so-called good English and bad English are not caused by linguistic factors but social factors. (Robert, 2000)Bad English ( nonstandard English ) is often spoken by under-privileged and humble people. So the pronunciation of rural people in Britain is regarded unpleasant. Things are the same in China. In fact, the attitude we hold to dialect reflects our attitude towards people who speak this dialect.Linguist Robert Pooley made a hierarchic structure for English according to its quality, that is:Illiterate level is listed at the lowest, whose users are mainly the uneducated people. English at illiterate level has disordered tense, missing verb, inappropriate usage of word and erroneous negation, etc.Homely level is higher than illiterate level. English at this level, which is always used by children and lower class in the society, is not widely—accepted. Some talented people, having been limited by the background, job or region, have no access to getting better education and enter into the higher class in the society. They talk in this level of English at home.The third level is informal standard English, which is used by highly—educated people on the informal occasions, such as the teaching class at school, the conversation between two friends. English at this level is not characteristic of pedantry. We can encounter this level of English in the daily life, for example “Who did you send for?’’ or “Where can you get this kind of gloves?”The fourth level is formal standard English. Avoiding the informal style, formal standard English pays attention to the usage of words and sentences. It has canonical grammar, complex sentence structure, more adjunct with appropriate location and strict verb tense, etc. Formal standard English is usually in written style, including document, expository writing argumentative writing, etc. Some conjunctions, adverbs, prepositions and phrases are the symbols of formal style, that is despite, furthermore, inasmuch as, notwithstanding, on the contrary, etc.The top one is the literary level. English at this level, based on the formal standard English, puts more emphasis on the choice of words and the harmony of voice. The author usually infuses passion into his or her expressions. There are evident eloquence, such as metaphor, antithesis and irony, which emit the glamour of art and compel readers’ feeling of beauty.Among these five levels raised by Robert Pooley, the first two are regarded as bad English while the other three belong to good English.4.2 Dialogue AnalysisAccording to the features of every level of English, we can easily tell the background upon which one dialogue happens.Look at dialogue 2:stranger: You be careful. Better give 'im a flower for it. There's a bloke there behind that pillar...takin' down every blessed word you're sayin'.Eliza : I ain't done nothin' wrong by speakin' to the gentleman. I've a right to sell flow'rs if I keep off the curb. I'm a respectable girl, so help me. I never spoketo him except to ask him to buy a flow'r off me.Stranger : What's the bloomin' noise?Stranger : A tec's takin' her down.Eliza : I'm makin' an honest livin'There is no need for us to stare at the screen. Just listening to this dialogue which is full of evident pronunciation and grammar errors, we can tell all characters in this scene come from the lower class.Look at dialogue 3:Mother of Higgins : Colonel Pickering, you’re just in time for tea.Pickering : Thank you, Mrs. Higgins. May I introduce Miss Eliza Doolittle?Mother of Higgins : My dear Miss Doolittle.Eliza : How kind of you to let me come.Mother of Higgins : Delighted, my dear. Lady Boxington.Eliza: How do you do?In dialogue 3, the grammar is standard; the pronunciation is perfect. All people hold RP, the symbol of well-educated people. Undoubtedly, the occurrence of this dialogue is on an occasion in the upper class. People involved in this dialogue are all well-educated and high-positioned.We can make a comparison between Dialogue 2 and Dialogue 3. Obviously, Dialogue 2 occurs in a scene of lower class society due to the informal language in it, while dialogue 3 occurs in a scene of upper class society because of the formal language in it. When we judge a dialogue is formal or not, we can easily predict whether the scene where it happens belongs to upper class or lower class.5 Code Switching5.1 The concept of Code switchingThe concept of language variation in sociolinguistics refers to different manifestations of a language, that is a certain language manifestation for universal use by persons who have the similar social characteristic in the same social circumstances. Some sociolinguists use the concept of code, instead of the concept of language variation.（李宗利，2005.）The language variation is often seen as the standard of appraiser to the holder of the variation. Language variations consist of standard variation and non-standard variation.（Martin, 1995.）In terms of history, the standard variation of English is on the basis of the London dialect, which has developed after the invasion of Britain from Norman people and their transfer from Manchester to London. The non-standard variation includes the regional variation and the social variation. The holders of standard variation are usually more pregnant andhigher-positioned. Code-switching means the interacting use of two or more variations in a language by one person. (黎娜，2005)5.2 Dialogue AnalysisLook at dialogue 4 from the movie:Higgins：Would you rather marry Pickering?Eliza：I wouldn't marry you if you asked me and you're nearer my age than what he is.Higgins：-Than he is.Eliza ：I'll talk as I like, you're not my teacher. That's not what I want and don't you think it is. I've always had chaps enough wanting me that way. Freddy Hillwrites me twice and three times a day. Sheets and sheets.Higgins：In short, you want me to be as infatuated about you as he is, is that it? Eliza：No, I don't. That's not the sort of feeling I want from you.I want a little kindness. I know I'm a common, ignorant girl, and you're a book-learnedgentleman......but I'm not dirt under your feel. What I done...what I did wasnot for the taxis and the dresses......but because we were pleasant together,and I come to...came......to care for you. Not to want you to make loveto ...and not forgetting the difference between us, but......more friendly like.……Eliza：I'll go and be a teacher.Higgins：What'll you teach, in heaven's name?Eliza: What you taught me. I'll teach phonetics. I'll offer myself as an assistant to that brilliant Hungarian.Higgins：What, that imposter? That humbug? That toadying ignoramus? Teach him my methods, my discoveries? You take one step in that direction, I'll wringyour neck!Eliza：Wring away! What do I care? I knew you'd strike me one day.That's done you, 'Enry 'lggins, it 'as. Now, I don't care for your bullyin' an'your big talk.This dialogue occurs in the house of Higgins’ mother. After the deceitful success in the dancing party, Eliza can not bear arrogance and negligence from Higgins, and escape from the house of Higgins. When she is complaining to Higgins’ mother, she encounters Higgins, who is trying to seek her everywhere. In the preceding dialogue, there are three areas of code-switching.(1) The first one is that “I wouldn't marry you if you asked me and you're nearer my age than what he is.”The grammar and the phrase-using in the first half of the sentence are the norm, belonging to the standard code of English. This code-switching is under no intention of Eliza and in agreement of her humble background. However, the more important function lies in making cushion for the conflict in the next sentence. Higgins rectifies her error but encounter her peremptory refuse in the next sentence. Through this code-switching, what is reflected is that Eliza is no longer addicted to the upper-class society and no longer dependent on Higgins.(2) The second one is that “What I done...what I did was not for the taxis and the dresses......but because we were pleasant together, and I come to...came......to care for you." This code-switching is under the intention of Eliza. She takes “what I did…” instead of “what I done…”. She also changes “I come to …” into “I came to…” She is intends to convert her non-standard code to the standard code, which in fact is the conversion of her attitude of mind. When Higgins mitigates his attitude to Eliza, Eliza also becomes tender and opens her heart. For the sake of matching the confabulation with Higgins, she rectifies her habitual non-standard code, to draw near the distance with Higgins, revealing that she still bears profound love to Higgins.(3)“Wring away! What do I care? I knew you'd strike me one day.That's done you, 'Enry 'lggins, it 'as. Now, I don't care for your bullyin' an' your big talk。