Chapter 2 : Language choice in multilingual communities

Chapter 2 : Language choice in multilingual communities

1. Domains of language use

   • A domain involves a typical interaction between typical participants in a typical setting. It is described based on the components of the situation.
   • The five Domains
     • Family
     • Friendship
     • Religion
     • Education
     • Employment

2. Communites

   • 1. Monolingual 2. Bilingual 3. Trilingual 4. Multilingual

3. Variety

   • Any set of linguistic forms that patterns according to social factors. It refers to language in social context. It includes accents, style, dialects, language, and code.

4. Three Linguistic levels which examine a language

   • Pronunciation (accent)
   • Lexical (vocabulary)
   • Structure (grammar)

5. Linguistic repertoire

   • The range of varieties form which people select according to the context in which they are communicating. It is acquired as part of our language.
     • In monolingual communities = varieties of dialects
       • In multilingual communities = varieties of langugaes
         • Zaair
           • Shi = ethnic language Swahili = Formal Swahili + French / Informal Swahili Indoubil = friends and brothers
       • Saudi Arabia
         • Najdi, informal Arabic, and Classical Arabic

6. Diglossia

   • The varieties of the same language (H,L) used for different functions in a speech community.
   • Features
     • Two distinct varieties of the same language used in one community (H,L).
     • Each variety is used for distinct functions; H and L complement each other
     • No one uses the H variety in everyday conversation.

7. Polyglossia

   • More than two varieties of the same language (or more than two languages) used for different functions in a speech community

8. Code-switching

   • Moving back or forth between two languages or dialects
   • Why do we switch ? (Reasons)
     • Ethnicity
     • Topic
     • Accuracy
     • Affective function
     • Authority
   • Rules of switching
     • Intra-sentential switching
       • Occurs within the sentence at points where grammars of both languages match
         • الmug حار please اعطيني cup holder
     • Inter-sentential switching
       • short phrases or tags at the end of the sentence
         • أعطيني كتابك please