Advances in Sociophonetics

Chapter 5. New parameters for the sociophonetic indexes 145

a section of space defined by its surface. In geometry, two major features of solid
bodies are recognized: shape and volume (Albert 1949). Solids have different
shape: a cube has a specific form, which is different from that of a cylinder or a
parallelepiped. A solid has a volume, or size: for instance, a cube or a cylinder
may be small or big, and smaller or bigger than other solids.
Furthermore, when a solid is put in a physical environment, it is given two
other relevant properties: weight and thickness. With reference to the force of
gravity, in the real world, a solid has a weight; in relation with its front view, a
solid has a thickness too.
Can the quoted properties of solids be used as metaphorical parameters for
the interpretation of phonological processes? Can these parameters be referred
to the phonetic features implementing sociolinguistic variation? This is our pres-
ent challenge. In the next paragraphs, the quoted properties of solids will be
considered as metaphorical parameters of sociophonetic variation and will be
discussed in an analytical way, showing at the end whether and how they can
interact with each other.

Massa-

Carrara

Lucca

Pistoia Prato

Florence

Arezzo

Siena

Pisa

Livomo

Grosseto

0 15 Km 45 Km

Figure 1. Map of Tuscany, with indication of the ten regional districts.