Academic research

Research objectives

The EAST project involves a real-time restudy of Peter Trudgill’s 1968 Norwich study, which is designed to deliver one of the longest-span panel studies in the field, alongside a contemporary trend study of the Norwich community.

Test stability of the individual grammar over the lifespan

Via a panel study, we ask whether individuals can shift towards/away from community-level change later in life, looking at both speech perception and production.

Evaluate historical predictions based on present-day data

We will compare those changes in progress identified by Trudgill in 1968 with what actually happened over the following decades via a longitudinal trend study.

Ask why some changes spread and others don’t

We will work to better understand the mechanisms and factors behind why certain features might be accepted, modified or rejected within communities.

Examine social and linguistic factors

Our longitudinal perspective will allow us to evaluate which factors have potentially accelerated or decelerated change during an unprecedented period of levelling.

Evaluate received methodologies

By comparing trend results with longitudinal evidence, we will evaluate the reliability of the apparent time method, which infers change by comparing older and younger speakers at one time point.

Apply modern methods

We take a dynamic approach to the longitudinal study of, e.g., vowels, using Generalised Additive Mixed Models to model formant trajectories, while applying modern acoustic analysis to Trudgill’s original data.