Pickering's Triangle

Pickering’s Triangle is a visual tool used in linguistics to analyze how people change their speech based on their social context. It considers three key factors: the actual language they speak, how they think they should speak, and how they want to be seen socially. By mapping these factors, the triangle helps explain language variations and code-switching—shifting between different language styles—highlighting the social and personal influences on communication. It provides insight into how language is shaped by identity and social setting.