Íslenskt mál og almenn málfræði - 01.01.1984, Page 57

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dative substitution more frequently than girls, but the difference is only significant
for the rural sample. An examination of statistical interaction between the inde-
pendent variables reveals that there is no statistical interaction with sex. Also, it is
shown that there is a strong correlation between social class and dative substitution
both for the Reykjavík sample and that of the rural schools. Multiple regression
was used to examine the total effect of all the independent variables on variance
in dative substitution. The variables residence and sex were represented as „dum-
my“ váriables in the regression equations. This exercise shows that statistically the
four variables account for 20% of the variance in dative substitution. However, if
we control for schooling and parents’ educational background the correlation be-
tween social class and dative substitution almost disappears. In other words, the
relationship between social class and dative substitution is mostly due to differ-
ences in educational background.
We conclude that, contrary to the prevailing attitude among both professional
scholars and the general public, dative substitution is not a random phenomenon
subject to „free variation". Dative substitution has been stigmatized by educational
authorities for many years as being deficient and „wrong“. This has been justified
on the grounds that it is possible to effectively control changes in the language and
that only the older or „original" variants should be allowed to exist. The policy
has been to erase dative substitution and thereby reduce inequalities between social
groups. Our conclusions suggest that this policy has been unsuccessful. In reality
it has created a difference in language which covaries with educational background
and schooling. Thus the stigmatization of dative substitution may increase the
difference between social strata by providing a linguistic marker which is also an
indicator of education. Further research is needed to test these speculations, but
some statistical evidence lends support to our conclusions.
Háskóla íslands,
Reykjavík