Whatʹs in the Name “Linguistics” for Variationists

Linguistics is a problematic home for language variationists. Dominant North American linguistic theories are different from NeoFirthian ideas in Britain, yielding a complex array of possible research approaches to language as people use it. Technological advances make this an excellent time to study language variation, while confusion about relations between different theoretical positions may complicate the ability of researchers on either side of the Atlantic to get the funding they need. In the twenty-first century, linguists need to understand and accept the idea that there are many different valid ways to study human language.