Setting new standards: sound changes and gender in New Zealand English

Abstract

Social dialect data dernonstrcrte.~ tliat wornen tend ro lead lingui.$tic ctiange in New Zealand Englisli over a range of linguisric i.nriables. This paper describes current sound ctzanges in Ne~z* Zealand English, di.scusses ttzeir porential sourre~. arid suggests possible mechcrriisms bx whicti thev percolate through the systern. Womeiz 'S role in lrrriguage ctiange is a controiJersial area. Thejinal sectiorz examines a range of explanations ~17tiich have been proposed to ~lccount j?)r the putterns identljied @ researclzers and assesses tlieir relevanre to the New Zealcrnd data.