Embodiment and the V.A.R.I.E.S. Model of Language and Culture Variation

Don and Alleen Nilsen are suggesting the VARIES acronym to explain how embodiment affects language variation. The VARIES acronym explains linguistic diversity in the following ways:

V-VOCATIONAL JARGON AND HUMOR

Computer Guys, Doctors, Lawyers, Linguists, Teachers

A-AGE-RELATED LANGUAGE AND HUMOR

Children, Teenagers, Old People

R-REGIONAL LANGUAGE AND HUMOR

California, Canada, New York, South

I-INFORMAL OR FORMAL LANGUAGE AND HUMOR

Casual Acquaintances, Lovers, Friends, Relatives

E-ETHNIC LANGUAGE AND HUMOR

Blacks, Jews, Mexicans, Native Americans

S-SEX-RELATED LANGUAGE AND HUMOR

Males, Females, Lesbians, Gays

Give examples of how our world view is affected by our bodies: tall vs. short, fat vs. skinny, old vs. young, athletic vs. intellectual, boy vs. girl, etc.

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