Book Review of “Variation in Linguistic systems”

Book Review of “Variation in Linguistic systems”

Introduction

The book written by James A. Walker entitled as “Variation in Linguistic Systems” appears to be significant for students as well as linguists. Even researchers finding linguistic terms and descriptions can access the book as a detailed guidebook to understand the variations present in linguistic systems. The subject of variations in language systems is quite complicated, but James A. Walker has amalgamated theoretical evaluation and statistical evaluation with representational content to accommodate the learners of variations' evaluation. While reading the book, the readers find descriptions, evaluations, variations, language analysis and statistical analysis using the tool GoldVarb. Walker not only mentions every term and gives analysis but also assists the readers as a teacher about the evaluation of variations existent in linguistics. He enlivens the readers by making use of story style for his purely informative content. In giving the analysis and evaluation of variations in linguistic systems, the writer focuses on the structure of variations. He employs two linked themes that are language limitations on variation and consequences of variation in terms of theoretical concepts of language. Walker wants to assist in the provision of a comprehensive and incorporated synopsis of variations' evaluation. The flow of chapters is structured in a systematic manner. Each chapter is connected with the last one. The book has nine chapters in total. It starts with an introduction that is the first chapter of the book. It informs about the basic objectives of composing the book and also outlines the structure that the book follows in describing and evaluating the variations in language systems. Walker uses a number of references, but the citations do not restrict the flow of Walker's argument.

Discussion

Variation and Variables

Chapter 2 entitled as “Variation and Variables” describes founding terms employed in order to study linguistics. The terms labeled as 'categorical contexts', 'variable contexts', 'variables', 'variants' and 'principle of accountability' are described in this chapter. The writer makes use of numerous examples for describing his points and for explaining the mentioned terms. After describing the basic concepts and terms, the writer starts elaborating evaluative tools that linguists employ for description of variations. The writer gives a theoretical structure of all the other chapters in this chapter. Walker weighs form based descriptive approach of variables against function based approach of variables in order to converse about the problems highlighted because of unevenness in relation with articulacy and simplicity.

The Analysis of Linguistic Variation

Walker employs chi-square tests for statistical analysis. He computes frequencies and also conducts various tests for getting required statistical results. All the mathematical calculations are included by using chi-square tests. Walker gives extensive analytical description, which is a dominant feature of the book. Walker makes use of variable principles as the central feature for structuring theories presented by various linguistics. An illustrative example that can be given here is the allocation of a section in chapter 3 about the connections between variants and their attached concepts such as their discretion, development ...