COMPARATIVE METHODS FOR STUDYING SOCIOLINGUISTIC INFLUENCES ON LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Sociolinguistic factors, language development, methodological approaches, comparative analysis, qualitative methods, quantitative techniques, linguistic change, social stratification.

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This article examines the effectiveness of different methodologies in studying the impact of sociolinguistic factors on language development. Addressing a significant research gap highlights the importance of diverse analytical approaches to understand how variables such as age, gender, and social stratification influence linguistic changes. The study employs qualitative methods, such as ethnographic observations and interviews, and quantitative techniques, including corpus linguistics and statistical modelling, to provide a
comprehensive overview of sociolinguistic dynamics. Results indicate variances in the suitability of each method depending on the specific sociolinguistic context being analysed. The article contributes to academic discourse by offering a detailed comparative analysis of methodologies, suggesting best practices for future research in sociolinguistics.