Variable grammars are variable across registers: future temporal reference in English

Abstract It is widely accepted that internal constraints on variation are not modulated by social and stylistic factors (e.g., Labov, 2010:265). Is this also true for register differences as a special type of sociostylistic factor? To address question, we investigate future temporal reference (FTR) in English ( It'll be fun versus It's gonna ) via variationist corpus study n = 2,600 tokens) supplementary rating experiment 114 participants) across four broad registers: conversations, parliamentary debates, blogs, newspaper prose. Multivariate analysis the dataset indicates modulates effect five out nine constraints, suggesting variable grammars vary considerably registers. The confirms language users indeed sensitive to, aware of, register-specificity how conditioned. We conclude discussing implications our findings sociolinguistics variational linguistics general.