William Labov was born in 1927.

William Labov is a sociolinguist known for his research on language variation and change in urban settings. He developed the concept of the "linguistic variable" to study how individuals use different linguistic forms based on social factors. Labov's most famous study, the New York City Department Store study, demonstrated how linguistic change occurs in response to social factors such as class and ethnicity.

Some prominent proponents of linguistics include Noam Chomsky, Ferdinand de Saussure, and William Labov. Chomsky's work on generative grammar revolutionized the field, Saussure's structuralism laid the foundation for modern linguistics, and Labov's work in sociolinguistics has had a significant impact on understanding language variation.

Labov's research on regional dialects is popular because it helped to establish the field of sociolinguistics and demonstrated that linguistic variation can be systematic and rule-governed. His work also highlighted the link between language and social factors like identity, class, and community. Overall, Labov's research has had a lasting impact on our understanding of how language is used and perceived in different social contexts.

No, William Rufus was William the Conqueror's son.

William I = William the Conqueror

William II = William Rufus