Trends in sociolinguistics research in the last decade: Bibliometric analysis

Sociolinguistics, which bridges linguistics, sociology, and other disciplines, explores the complex relationship of language with society. This research was conducted to find trends in sociolinguistic studies from 2014 to 2023, and this bibliometric analysis was conducted to reveal significant scholarly activities and themes studied. The study provides an in-depth quantitative and qualitative overview of the vast sociolinguistic literature produced during this period. Using keywords such as "sociolinguistics" and "bibliometric analysis", the analysis identified and assessed relevant articles in the 2014-2023 timeframe. The bibliometric data, analyzed with VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, measured publication frequency and author interconnections and identified thematic clusters. In addition, it evaluated interdisciplinary contributions from fields such as Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Computer Science, Psychology, and Engineering to sociolinguistics. The main findings show a spike in research activity around 2016, reflecting the growing interest in sociolinguistics. Various disciplines contribute and provide multidimensionality to the field. Important keywords include linguistics, language, and humanity, highlighting research into the structure of language, language as a means of social communication, and its role in human development. The finding of the word technology illustrates the growing technological developments in sociolinguistics. The appearance of the word "gender" signifies ongoing research into the complex relationship between language and gender. This study offers a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of sociolinguistic research, underscores its relevance in the changing social and technological landscape, and suggests directions for further research.