LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY MODERN APPROACHES IN SOCIOLINGUISTIC RESEARCH

Language is deeply intertwined with society, influencing and reflecting social structures, cultural norms, and individual identities. Sociolinguistics, the study of language in its social context, examines how factors like region, social class, ethnicity, and policy shape the way people speak. In an increasingly interconnected world, modern sociolinguistic research addresses both global languages and local contexts. This article provides a theoretical overview of sociolinguistics and discusses key concepts – including language variation, code-switching, language and identity, and language policy – with focus on examples from English-speaking countries and Uzbek society. The goal is to highlight contemporary approaches that show how language and society influence one another, maintaining an academic tone and clear structure throughout