William Labov

“Hypercorrection is the over-application of a perceived rule of grammar or pronunciation in an attempt to appear more formal or educated.”

“There are no single-style speakers.”

“African American Vernacular English is not a random collection of errors but a well-formed linguistic system with its own rules and grammar.”

“The vernacular, in which the minimum of attention is paid to speech, is the most systematic and regular form of language.”

“Change from below is a change in a linguistic system that originates in the vernacular, below the level of conscious awareness.”

“Social factors like age, gender, and social class are powerful determinants of linguistic variation.”

“The linguist who would understand the nature of language—and I take this to be the central task of linguistics—must come to grips with the language of everyday life.”

“The observer's paradox is the problem of observing how people behave when they are not being observed.”

“Style shifting is the adjustment of an individual's speech patterns to suit the context.”

“The aim of linguistic research in the community must be to find out how people talk when they are not being systematically observed; yet we can only obtain these data by systematic observation.”

“The first principle of sociolinguistic investigation is the principle of accountability: the investigator must account for all the data, not just what fits a preconceived theory.”