Abstract
This study examines the usefulness of the theoretical construct of translanguaging in analyzing the linguistic production of twenty-four Colombians (originally from Bogotá) residing in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. Translanguaging maintains that bilinguals and multilinguals have a single linguistic repertoire consisting of features traditionally associated with different named languages (English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, etc.), and that they freely select from among these features according to their communicative needs in specific contexts. In terms of named languages, participants utilized varying amounts of English during sociolinguistic interviews conducted primarily in Spanish by the investigator. The study presents a qualitative analysis of participants’ linguistic production viewed through the lens of translanguaging, which offers a better account than codeswitching of several patterns of language use observed in the data. These include phonetically ambiguous words, fluid combinations of morphemes from each named language (Spanish and English), and innovative uses of linguistic forms. The study concludes with a consideration of the relevance of translanguaging in addressing the issue of the legitimacy of the (often stigmatized) language varieties of Hispanics in the U.S. context.
Highlights
The phenomenon of multilingualism is a noteworthy feature of our contemporary globalized world, as evidenced by its growing prominence within the field of linguistics (Auer and Wei 2007; Bhatia and Ritchie 2013; Martin-Jones et al 2012)
The aim of the current study is to examine the usefulness of translanguaging for analyzing the linguistic production of twenty-four Colombian migrants residing in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, an area with a relatively recently established Hispanic community (U.S Census Bureau 20102 )
The findings of the current study indicate that translanguaging offers a more accurate and nuanced account than codeswitching of several patterns of language use observed in the data from this community, as explained in further detail below
Summary
The phenomenon of multilingualism is a noteworthy feature of our contemporary globalized world, as evidenced by its growing prominence within the field of linguistics (Auer and Wei 2007; Bhatia and Ritchie 2013; Martin-Jones et al 2012). The intersection between multilingualism and migration has proved to be a fruitful area of research in recent years due to the exponential increase in mobility both of individuals and of the linguistic resources they employ (Blackledge and Creese 2017; Blommaert 2010; Canagarajah 2017; Duarte 2020; Gal 2006; Keating and Solovova 2011; Martin 2007; May 2014) In light of this growth in the mobility of human populations, linguists have sought to describe how migrants employ their linguistic repertoire (including elements classified as belonging to different languages) to meet their communicative needs in the novel social and linguistic contexts in which they find themselves. The central focus of translanguaging is the idiolect, defined by Otheguy et al (2015, p. 289, emphasis in the original) as “
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
