The general scientific and practical interest in the phenomenon of the language situation is due to the importance of solving current sociolinguistic problems and problems of conscious regulation of the language situation. Sociolinguistics studies and analyzes the variability of language, which depends on the social conditions in which language exists. That is, studying the language, the sociologist builds his work upon society, and the sociolinguist builds his research upon language.

Without a multifaceted and comprehensive study of the language situation, it is difficult to know the full complexity of the real language life of human communities, especially polyethnic ones, in which languages never function in isolation but are always interdependent and interconnected into complex and multidimensional macrosystems. Issues of language policy and language situation arise at any stage of development of society in the interaction of two or more nations (multilingual groups), when there is a problem of choosing means of communication for mutual understanding and building social life and when there is a desire to use their native language in any situation (Rryzhko, 2018, р.57).

Sociolinguistics develops its own methods and techniques, although the main research method of sociolinguistics, according to O. Khrolenko (2006, р. 271), is the correlation of linguistic and social phenomena. The main general theoretical problem of sociolinguistics is the study of the nature of language as a social phenomenon, its place and role in social development, which, in turn, combines many partial, specific issues.

Methods of obtaining data are divided into quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative methods include«a set of techniques and procedures aimed at obtaining digital data that can be mathematically processed (both statistical and non-statistical)» (Vahtyn, 2004, р. 89). Qualitative methods allow to achieve the most objective results of research. Qualitative methods are based on «comparing the «presence-absence» of this phenomenon without taking into account the characteristics of its frequency» (Ahmanova, 2005, p. 44).

Quantitative methods are widely used in the processing of research results in modern sociolinguistics, which allow to achieve maximum objectification of research results. Processing of field observations is carried out using auditory and electroacoustic methods, types of correlation analysis (the ratio of social variables as independent variables, with language, as dependent on them) and mathematical statistics (compilation of tables and graphs). In the process of correlation analysis of sociolinguistic variables, one of the most important tools is the graphical representation of results - in the form of tables, charts or graphs. The degree of correlation between the indicators of tables and graphs is measured using different correlation coefficients, which can be found in any statistical reference book (Kochergan, 2006, p. 391). As it was noted by some linguists, the classification of social variants of language is carried out in terms of its stratification, situational and communicative variability (Hirutskyi, 2001, p. 291). If sociolinguistic research operates with certain statistics, the use of computational of certain forms of words, sociolinguistic methods are significantly enriched, less time-consuming and more valid.

Processing of field research data is carried out primarily using a variety of correlation analysis, the essence of which is the ratio of social and linguistic variables as independent ones and fully or partially dependent variables with data from tables, graphs of dependencies and mathematical statistics.

A method of processing sociolinguistic data used to study the relationships between variables, dependent and independent (independent variables - social parameters: stratification and situational; dependent variables - linguistic phenomena); dependencies are described in the quantitative distribution of options - by age, education, social status, territorial settlement, etc. The tabular data, graphs of dependence, the results of mathematical and statistical criteria characterizing the range and strength of social characteristics on the distribution of language options are used.

In the stratification variant of correlation analysis, the ratio of variants (forms) of language with certain special groups is taken as a basis and professional variants, jargons, social dialects, etc. are distinguished. In the situational variety, language variants are determined depending on specific social situations of its use: circumstances and places of the speech event (university audience, speech in court, official negotiations, family conversation, etc.) (Kochergan, 2006, p. 118).

Methods of mathematical statistics aimed at building optimal plans for the collection, systematization and processing of multidimensional statistics. There are three groups of methods:

1)   methods of analysis of multidimensional distributions and their main characteristics, covering situations, in which observations are probabilistic;

2)    methods of analysis of the nature and structure of relationships between the components of the studied multidimensional feature, which combine concepts and results;

3)    methods of analysis of the geometric structure of the studied set of multidimensional observations, which combine the concepts and results of such models and schemes as discriminant analysis, analysis of multidimensional scaling.

The applied purpose of these methods is to maintain:

1)   the problem of statistical study of the relationships between the studied indicators;

2)    problems of classification of elements in order to break the matrix into a relatively small number of groups;

3)   the problem of reducing the dimensionality of the studied factor space and the selection of the most informative indicators.

Conclusion. Thus, quantitative methods, which reveal the correlation between two or more variables, allow to achieve maximum objectification of the research results. The set of methods used in a study makes it possible to use the working system to achieve the objectives of a study on a particular language material.

References

1. Akhmanova, O. S. (2005). Slovnyk linhvistychnykh terminiv [Dictionary of linguistic terms]. Kyiv: ComBook. [in Ukrainian].
2. Hirutskyi, A. A. (2003). Obshcheye yazykoznaniye [General linguistics]. Minsk: TetraSystems. [in Russian].
3. Khrolenko, A. T. (2006). Yazykovaya teoriya [Language theory]. Moscow: Flinta. [in Russian].
4. Kochergan, М. P. (2006). Zahalna linhvistyka [General linguistics]. Kyiv: Academy. [in Ukrainian].
5. Rryzhko, O. A. (2018). Metodologiya naukovo-phililohichnoho doslidghennya [Methodology of scientific philological research]. Berdyansk: BSPU. [in Ukrainian].
6. Vahtyn, N. B. (2004). Socyolingvistika i socyologiya yazyka [Sociolinguistics and sociology of language]. SPb.: PC “Humanitarian Academy”; Publishing house of the European University in St. Petersburg. [in Russian].