Conséquences linguistiques du contact des langues : un modèle d'analyse variationniste

Abstract

Linguistic consequences of language contact : a variationist analysis model. Exposition of the variationist model of code switching and of borrowing, determined by the observing or breaking of equivalence constraint between the syntaxes of the languages in contact at the intra-sentence level. This constraint predicts that the switch will occur at such boundaries where the syntaxes of both languages can be observed. This switch may be smooth and without rhetorical effect or flagged and with identificable ihetorical functions. As for borrowing, one can distinguish between widespread loans and "nonce" borrowing. Between typologically distant languages (Tamil/English, Finnish/English), one can show that the scarcity of boundaries where switchqig is permitted according to the equivalence constraint reduces the rate of true code switching towards borrowing. A model opposing switching and borrowing is proposed.