Sociolinguistic Interpretation of the Preservation of Palatalization Assimilation of Labial Consonants before Velars in the Speech of Saratov Residents

This article serves as a supplementary interpretation of data previously described in an earlier study. It examines the results of a 2025 investigation into the phonetic phenomenon of palatalization assimilation of labial consonants before velar consonants in the speech of Russian-speaking inhabitants of Saratov. The object of study is the preservation of various phonetic variants in contemporary Russian, while the focus lies on the reasons behind the maintenance of this phenomenon within the Saratov regional dialect. The purpose of this work is to explain the persistence of this assimilation from a sociolinguistic perspective. The article analyzes existing linguistic and sociolinguistic interpretations, identifies contradictions with traditional theories (such as Optimality Theory), and proposes novel explanations based on the concepts of social indicators and supplementary distribution in the usage of forms without assimilation—which constitute a more popular normative variant—and forms with assimilation. Particular emphasis is placed on the influence of social identity and the historical prestige of phonetic forms as factors contributing to the retention of palatalization assimilation in the region under study. The findings underscore the importance of sociolinguistic approaches for understanding the mechanisms underlying the preservation of regional linguistic features within variants of contemporary Russian literary language.