Stylistic Variation in the Repertoire of the Bilingual/Multilingual Speaker

Abstract

There is growing recognition that perceptions and interpreta tions of stylistic choices made by native and non-native users of a language can differ greatly, often giving rise to serious failures of communication and to feelings of uncertainty and insecurity on the part of non-native users particularly. Brief examples are given, firstly of Indian scholars' reactions to prose written in English by Indians, and secondly of misunderstandings in spoken communication between native and non-native users of English. The bulk of the paper how ever draws attention to some of the differing modes of stylistic varia tion which may be observed from one speech community to another, and which form part of the linguistic repertoires of language users. These, it is suggested, constitute a major part of the linguistic and sociolinguistic contexts within which stylistic choices and stylistic judgments are made. Eight such modes of variation are reviewed, as follows: bilingual or multilingual code-switching; code-switching styles; code-mixing styles; monostylistic usage; haphazard variation; vertical shifting; horizontal shifting; and vertical with horizontal shifting. Language users operate within one, or more than one, sty listic mode at any one time, and may additionally alternate between two or more. Correspondingly, they make assessments of modes of stylistic variation, in their own and others' language, the accuracy of which may contribute much to the nature and far-reaching effects of stylistic judgments generally.