Culture and Sociolinguistics
Culture and sociolinguistics cannot be separated. Both culture and
sociolinguistics relate each others. Culture is language that is used by
society and it becomes habit. Besides, language that becomes unique
features in society is called as culture. In the other side sociolinguistics
learns the relationship between language and society. So culture has
connection with sociolinguistics. The connection of culture and
sociolinguistics is sociolinguistics discusses language with social language
in society (Chaer, Abdul, 1985:42). Therefore culture and sociolinguistics
 
caused the variation of language features. There are two aspects important
in language, culture and sociolinguistics.
1. Language has function to distinguish the social relationship.
Social relationship is very important in society. For example
Jepersen said that males and females in Caribea tribe used different
language. Females never use males‟ language. Otherwise males
never use females‟ language. If these rules are broken by females,
they will be given capital punishment (Kuntjara, Ester, 2003: 2).
Another example is Gross Ventre tribe from United of States.
In Gross Ventre tribe, females cannot use males‟ language or vice
versa. It happens because they will be judged as sexual disorder, if
they break the rule. 
Based on the examples above, Lakoff mentioned that females
have been experienced on the discrimination twice. First, the
discrimination on the way they use language and how language can
be appropriate for them. Truly, culture has brought the differences
on social relationship. Moreover, females are demanded to speak
politely like a lady, if they do not speak like a lady, they will be
judged as impolitely females (Kuntjara, Ester, 2003: 4).
2. Language has function to deliver information by using
language; people can know the social culture aspect.
For example, there is a culture to change name after
married. Mrs. Marry Brown married with Mr. Jack Smith. So
 
her name is Mrs. Jack Smith. This case gives effect that females
have low power than males (Kuntjara, Ester, 2003: 5).
There is also other example the connection between culture and
sociolinguistics. 
A: “Why are all dumb blonde jokes one liners?”
B: “So men can remember them.”
In sociolinguistics view, joke like that encode culturally specific
assumptions e.g., that blonde typically refers to a woman, not a man
(Holmes, Jonet, 2000: 317). That fact points out gender in language will
vary from culture to culture, from community to community, and that
universal statements and the generalizations become useless and easily
misleading (Brakt, Cristina, 2003: 199).