How “U” are “U” words?: exploring variation in the usage and perception of class-based lexical shibboleths in British English

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Sandow, R.J., Bailey, G., Braber, N. ORCID: 0000-0003-2611-1190 and O’Hara-Brown, E., 2024. How “U” are “U” words?: exploring variation in the usage and perception of class-based lexical shibboleths in British English. English World-Wide. ISSN 0172-8865

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1075/eww.00085.san

Abstract

That U (upper-class) speakers and non-U (non-upper class) speakers are identifiable through the use of vocabulary is something of an axiom in England. These claims are repeated in books, magazine and newspaper articles, on social media, and in conversations regarding social class. However, such claims are seldom subject to empirical investigation. In order to redress this, we consider the production and perception of U and non-U lexis through two studies. In the first study, we identify the social and stylistic variation of three variables which are purported to be indicators of socioeconomic status, namely, LOO, NAPKIN, and SOFA. The second study employs the matched-guise technique to investigate the perception of lexical variants of these three variables. The production results reveal that all three variables exhibit change in apparent-time with some, but limited, evidence of class-based variation. In the perception study, we find no systematic class-based indexicalities across the three variables. Ultimately, our findings challenge the belief that U words are shibboleths of upper-classness.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

English World-Wide

Creators:

Sandow, R.J., Bailey, G., Braber, N. and O’Hara-Brown, E.

Publisher:

John Benjamins Publishing Company

Date:

1 February 2024

ISSN:

0172-8865