Classic and Revisionist Sociocultural Theory, and their analyses of expressive language: An empirical and theoretical assessment. (17th March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ratner, Carl
• Is Part Of: Language and sociocultural theory. Volume 2:Number 1(2015)
• Page Start: 51
• Page End: 83
• Publication Date: 2015-03-17
• Subjects: liberalism -- politics of language -- social philosophy -- psychology of oppression; Applied linguistics -- Periodicals; Second language acquisition -- Periodicals; 418
• DOI: 10.1558/lst.v2i1.26988
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2051-9699

Abstract

Abstract : This article articulates two approaches to sociocultural theory, Vygotsky's classic approach and a contemporary revisionist approach. We examine: (1) their principle tenets for understanding psychology in relation to culture; (2) how they characterize and explain language in particular; and (3) how they characterize and explain a sample linguistic specimen of two dialogues from a middle-class child and a lower-class child. I utilize a critical discourse analysis of the dialogues to empirically determine: (1) which of the two approaches better accounts for the discursive differences; (2) which is a more adequate linguistic theory; (3) which is a more adequate approach to SCT; and (4) which is a more viable and progressive social and political philosophy. We find Vygotsky's classic formulation superior on all counts. This article concerns the politics of language, linguistics, and social theory.