A study of sociolinguistic texts and subtexts as found in five high school American literature anthologies

The literature anthology serves as the single, most frequently used source of literary selections by United States' high school English teachers. That anthologies, as collections of texts, possess power and authority has been argued by a diverse group of theorists and critics. Linguists, literary theorists, and pedagogical researchers have consistently linked language with power, called for increased sociolinguistic study, and found literature to be an ideal field upon which to foreground language study.;In the light of the above and of the claims of the publishers of literature anthologies as to an integrated approach to language and literature study and to the inclusion of multiculturally diverse literary selections, I analyzed the most recent editions of five widely used American literature anthologies. Using discourse analysis as my mode, I sought to determine: the degree to which anthologies' selections represented a broad range of the dialects and cultures found in the United States; the degree to which these anthologies promote thought and discussion about the social aspects of language use; and whether these anthologies' non-selection materials contain subtexts of social class, gender, and/or ethnic discrimination.;My findings indicate the need for greater representation of women and minorities in selections and non-selection materials. Three of the five anthologies contain few selections with passages written in dialect. Anthologies give only limited attention to sociolinguistic concerns. At times, through their own language use, they send mixed and/or discriminatory messages about language variants, women, uneducated persons, and various ethnic groups.;I conclude by theorizing as to why such imbalance, linguistic bias, and mixed messages occur and detail the implications of my study's results for English language arts teachers and English Education professionals.