Sociolinguistic Space Research Articles

Adult Educational Cross-Cultural Kids: Identities of Im(mobility) Across Sociolinguistic Spaces

ABSTRACT This article explores the notion of multilingual spaces as sites of (de)legitimization and of the construction of (un)belonging by analyzing the lived experiences of six Hong Kong adult educational cross-cultural kids (AECCK) (i.e., adults who have spent their formative years attending schools founded on and run by a cultural base different from their home or local language), and reports representative narratives from three focal AECCK’s. The study focuses on the way the AECCKs’ identities were constructed as they were positioned as perpetual foreigners across different spaces and times, from the sociolinguistic spaces in which they grew up and the spaces that they encountered abroad. Findings show that even the economically and educationally privileged may also encounter linguistic spaces where they are delegitimized—unequal distribution of power can occur in any multilingual spaces. This study highlights the importance of fostering greater inclusivity in spaces of multilingualism in promoting the wellbeing of all multilinguals.

Semantic structure of the concept "patriotism" through the prism of linguocognitivistics

The verbalization of the concept of "patriotism" is a fairly common phenomenon in the sociolinguistic space. In this regard, there is no doubt that the meaningful behavior of the structure of the sema patriotism and its derivatives is a subject of scientific interest. Being international in use, the lexeme representing the presented concept has semantic correlates in regions with different forms of government (for example, allegiance), historical and spiritual baggage. The author notes that the seme patriotism is predisposed to the explicative formation of a whole spectrum of meanings capable of accommodating lexemes within a specific context in the content space, both direct, primary meaning and secondary, projective meanings fixed in communicative practice. The author states that the semantic structure of the presented concept is characterized by a connotatively positive use, transmitting to the addressee not only a system of values, but also characterizing a class of people (patriots). The article states that the associative space of the presented unit of language and its derivatives is anthropocentric, and the implicitly present structural elements find expression in implicates that make the realization of the nuclear meaning in one of its many variants unique. The research is based on the methodological foundations and principles of the analysis of language as a mirror of national culture, developed in modern cognitive linguistics.

Modal Verbs in Research Article Abstracts in Applied Linguistics: Juxtaposing Discursive Practices of the Inner and Outer Circles of English

Abstract The article introduces and discusses a computer-assisted study that seeks to shed light on the frequency and use of the central modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would) in research article (further: RA) abstracts in applied linguistics published in the Inner and Outer Circles of English, respectively. The study is informed by the construal of the Circles of English that are comprised of the Inner Circle, where English is spoken as the mother tongue (for example, the United Kingdom), the Outer Circle, where it is used as a second language in the former British colonies (for instance, Hong Kong, Malaysia, etc.), and the Expanding Circle (e.g., Japan), where English is spoken and taught as a foreign language (Kachru 48). In the construal of the Circles of English, the Outer Circle is regarded as a heterogeneous sociolinguistic space with fluid boundaries (Higgins 615) that affects the frequency and use of the central modal verbs in a variety of textual genres (Lee and Collins 501). Against this background, the study aims at identifying and analysing the frequency of the central modal verbs in a corpus of RA abstracts in applied linguistics published by international peer reviewed journals associated with the Outer Circle (one journal published in Hong Kong and one in Malaysia, respectively) and the Inner Circle of English (one journal published in the United Kingdom). The results of the quantitative analysis of the corpus indicate that the most frequent modal verbs in the entire corpus are can and may, which function as hedging devices in the journals that are associated with the Outer and Inner Circles of English, respectively. These findings are discussed in the article through the prism of the construal of the Circles of English.

Multilingualism and Language Contact in Maithili: Trends, Traits and Impact in Sociolinguistic Spaces

This paper presents various trends, traits and impact of language contact in Maithili language spoken in the Kathmandu valley. The data were gathered through survey and key informant interviews with Maithili speakers and focused-language contact observations in the communities in various parts of the Kathmandu valley. Drawing on such data, this paper reports the expanding instances of language contact among the speakers of Maithili. It also illustrates causes and impacts of language contact in the rapidly emerging multilingual sociolinguistic spaces, especially in the Kathmandu valley. The findings showed that the Maithili native speakers living in Kathmandu had higher instances of language contact with Nepali and English, especially in the formal situations. Such practices were influenced and shaped by their ideological orientations towards globalization and willingness to attend to the emerging diverse contexts caused by the growing migration.

Multilingual Code Switching in Algerian Rap Song Lyrics: A Functional Approach

The use of multilingual lyrics in contemporary rap songs is a recurrent phenomenon in Algeria. If the lyrics are articulated through Algerian Arabic as a “base language,” the rappers saturate them with other languages for the sake of producing linguistically mixed songs. The most frequently used languages for code-switching are Standard Arabic, Berber (Tamazight), French, English and Spanish. These multilingual songs are most often embedded with code-switching (CS) where each used language assumes a particular discourse and pragmatic function. Therefore, this investigation aims to explore the recent phenomenon of multilingual CS in Algerian rap songs, basically to identify the functions that CS fulfils in song lyrics. Indeed, the analysis is mainly qualitative. A corpus of 10 songs from five Algerian rappers was collected and analysed. The researchers applied Gumperz's (1982) and Appel and Muysken’s (2005) functions of CS. This research answers the following question: What are the functions of CS in the lyrics of contemporary Algerian rap songs? The corpus included lyrics from rap songs produced in the period extending from 2019 to 2021. The findings reveal that the concerned multilingual CS is underpinned by a strategic positioning issued by rappers based on the social representations that specify each language in the Algerian sociolinguistic space concerning particular functions and socio-cultural considerations. A distinct set of functions was identified: 1) code-switching for language convenience, 2) identifying or drawing the attention of addressees, 3) serving as a marker of social/cultural identity, 4) complying with social norms, and 5) facilitating rhyme. This study can act as an asset for anyone who wants to extend the framework to examine multilingual CS in other Algerian communication contexts. Furthermore, it highlights the fundamental role of CS in rap song lyrics to increase the potential of promoting freedom of expression, multilingualism, and modernity. Keywords: Code-switching; base language; Algerian Arabic; sociolinguistics; rap song

“We just want the language tone”: when requests to use minority languages lead to interactional breakdown in multilingual classrooms

Abstract In this paper, we analyze two instances of interactional breakdown in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms in Copenhagen and Helsinki. Our focus is situations where teachers request the use of minority languages from pupils, and pupils react reluctantly and display embarrassment. These situations represent sociolinguistic spaces of upset understood as disruptions of prevailing language ideologies and sociolinguistic regimes. We argue that pupils’ reluctance to comply with teachers’ attempts to include minority languages exemplifies such a disruption, and meta-communicative exchanges represent a window into the language ideologies influencing such situations. We analyze the interactions sequentially through the theoretical lens of enregisterment, linguistic legitimacy, and raciolinguistic microaggressions. The Helsinki data are drawn from a sociolinguistically informed action research project in an elementary school. The Copenhagen data involve lower-secondary-level pupils and consist of observations and recordings collected as part of a long-term ethnographic study. Despite the differences in projects and field sites, we found a striking similarity both in the language ideologies displayed by teachers and in pupils’ reactional patterns. Consequently, we argue that both examples represent the same type of sociolinguistic space of upset characterized by an intrinsic dilemma in Nordic public schools, which are simultaneously expected to secure the continuation of mainstream culture and embrace linguistic diversity.

Exploring Coherence among Sri Lankan CFL Learners in Chinese-English Translation: Decoding and Interpreting of Culture-loaded Content

Modern translation has shifted from its traditional approach of merely translating linguistic features towards a more culturally sensitive approach, which further considers the sociolinguistic spaces of the source text in producing the target text. This significant theoretical transformation has demanded the translator to play a more comprehensive role, which involves intercultural and sociolinguistic competencies apart from language competence. Subsequently, maintaining cohesion and coherence within and among texts also demands a heavier effort from the translator with neologisms being created frequently. The present study has been an attempt to identify the core issues pertaining to lexical coherence in translating from Chinese sources in Sri Lankan context using sample texts translated by Sri Lankan CFL (Chinese as a Foreign Language) learners. 20 culture-loaded lexical items were examined for coherence using a plagiarism checker and compared with Google and Baidu translation outputs of the source text. The results manifest that there is significant coherence among the target texts but coherence is a result of excessive use of machine translation, especially Google translate(?=94.67). 5-10 clusters were the most frequent clusters with an average of 21.73 clusters. < 10 word clusters have recorded an average of 19.07 whereas> 5 word clusters have recorded an average of 12.60.The highest number of clusters is recorded in text 5 with 44 clusters of <10 words. The highest number of translated variants of the same cultural term of the selected word list (n=20) is 4 while 70% (n=14) of the selected terms were only translated into either 1 or 2 variants. While machine translation is perceived as a constructive instrument under proper management, vigilant use of footnotes and end notes is perceived as a viable solution for reducing misinterpretation, vagueness and confusion in translating culture-loaded lexical items.

Diversity, Multilingualism and Democratic Practices in Nepal

Abstract This paper presents the relationship among Nepal’s linguistic diversity, multilingualism, and democratic practices by bringing into ideas from the global north and global south. The guiding question for exploring this relationship is, “why is Nepal’s linguistic diversity being squeezed despite the formulation of democratic and inclusive language policies that intended to promote multilingualism?”. To investigate this concern, qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured interviews with two purposively selected high-profile people working in the capacity of language policymaking in the state agencies. In Nepal, although democracy promoted awareness towards the issue of language rights and the need of preservation and promotion of minority languages, the narrowing of multilingual diversity continued in practice. This study concluded that democracy allowed neoliberal ideologies to penetrate sociolinguistic spaces and put greater emphasis on English and Nepali. While there is an intertwined relationship between linguistic diversity, democracy, and multilingualism, the ongoing democratic practices have become counterproductive in maintaining the linguistic diversity leading to the marginalization of minority and lesser-known languages. Also, despite ample literature documenting linguistic diversity as a resource and opportunity, the notions of ‘linguistic diversity’ and ‘multilingualism’ were utilized merely as political agendas and issues of critical discourses which have left negligible impact on changing the conventionalized practices of linguistic domination of Nepali and English. Therefore, we question the co-existence of diversity and democracy and claim that democracy alone does not necessarily contribute to the protection of linguistic diversity. In line with this concept, democratic practices could even be counterproductive in the promotion and protection of linguistic diversity. Our findings suggest future interventions about essentializing the use of minority languages in education and governance, alongside democracy providing the fertile grounds for policy pitches to address micro problems in maintaining multilingualism within a democracy.

SPACE DISCOURSE IN A LANGUAGE CONTACT SITUATION: “US” VS. “THEM”

Multilingual practices inevitably lead to language contact phenomena. This phenomenon occurs in Estonia, where the Russian speaking minority, often defined as a Russian diaspora, differs from the socially and linguistically dominant Estonian group with respect to their language and language practices. We suggest that the analysis of one of the languages in contact, in this case Russian, allows for a deeper understanding of the role of the other, i.e. Estonian, in the multilingual practices of the Estonian population as a whole. In this paper, we will focus on “spatial indicators” (i.e. toponyms, ergonyms, linguistic landscape objects, etc.) in the discourse on space provided by participants from the Russian-speaking population living in Estonia. These sociolinguistic foci have been partially described in several existing works which underscore the influence of Estonian on the speech of the local Russian speakers. Previous research gives insights into the peculiarities that the influence of Estonian generates: in the use of toponyms, in the naming of different language landscape objects, in the everyday language practices, and in the description and evaluation of the surrounding space (i.e. in the “spatial awareness”) of the local Russian speaking population. However, little attention has been paid to the fact that the aforementioned phenomena represent a whole that reflects the development of the speakers’ apprehension of the surrounding physical, sociocultural and sociolinguistic space. This process is put into focus in this paper and is shown to be characterized by the (re)definition of space(s) as “ours” vs “theirs”. Such processes will be revealed here by giving an overview of the “spatial components” in the speech of the Russian speaking population of Estonia in several spheres of communication (newspapers, TV shows, advertisements, web forums, etc.) and by analysing interviews involving three Estonian residents, each with a different sociolinguistic background. We attempt to demonstrate how these “spatial components” reflect the interaction of Russian and Estonian speakers, with an emphasis on their affinities across certain language practices. In the analysis of the interviews, we focus in particular on the participants’ (re)definitions of “us” vs “them” in their discourse on space. Special attention is also given to the use of Estonian insertions as a tool for evaluation and the creation of the opposition between “us” and “them” in the internet communication of Russian speakers living in Estonia.

Russian Language in German socio-linguistic space as an Object of Russian Language state Policy

Today about 110 thousand people are learning Russian in Germany, and almost 2 million people are learning German in Russia The apparent contradiction is that if ethnic Germans do not constitute the dominant non-autochthonous group in Russia, then Russian in Germany is defnitely one of the most widespread languages among the residents and citizens of immigrant origin According to some sources, it even takes the leading position in this segment Its popularization can (and should) serve to preserve the ethnolinguistics identity of the Russian-speaking community abroad The Russian language is undoubtedly an effective instrument of ‘soft power’ in Russian policy abroad, contributing to the creation/ preservation of an attractive image of Russia in the international arena, the establishment of economic, academic, and ethnocultural relations, the construction of a comfortable feld of objective information exchange, the development of the ‘Russian world’ in its current large-scale understanding The answer, in the author’s opinion, is unequivocal The success of efforts undertaken by public and academic organisations of our states; the implementation of projects initiated by German educational institutions and offcial institutions in the framework of international cooperation should not only be supported but to a large extent ensured by the Russian side The article gives an up-to-date assessment of the role of the Russian language and Russian-speaking community in the sociopolitical space of Germany in the course of education, integration, electoral and other processes, the activities of certain actors in striving to reverse the frightening trend of losing Russian language and Russian cultural traditions outside Russia, the problems and prospects of the external direction of contemporary Russian language policy.

Rethinking Historical Multilingualism and Language Contact ‘from Below’. Evidence from the Dutch-German Borderlands in the Long Nineteenth Century

ABSTRACT European language histories, including the history of Dutch, have often been portrayed as broadly linear developments towards one uniform standard language. In this biased account, rooted in the nation-building era around 1800, language diversity and multilingualism were largely rendered invisible. Against the background of clearly segregated spaces, politically and linguistically, border settings have particularly challenged the monolingual ideology of ‘one nation–one language’. Taking a historical-sociolinguistic perspective, this article focuses on the Dutch-German borderlands in the long nineteenth century as an intriguing case to investigate historical multilingualism and language contact ‘from below’. Despite the growing importance of nation-states and their standard languages, it is shown that multilingual practices and contact phenomena can still be traced in handwritten archival documents from the private sphere. Illustrative examples come from various family archives in the border area as well as from a unique collection of letters written by (Low) German labour migrants to their Dutch employer. These sources give evidence of the Dutch-German borderlands as a multi-faceted sociolinguistic space well into the nineteenth century. Moreover, they suggest that established theories of multilingualism and language contact may require rethinking in order to account for less clear-cut and more fluid practices in the past.

La ficcionalidad como estrategia didáctica en el desarrollo de la competencia comunicativa intercultural en las lenguas-culturas extranjeras

Este artículo es el resultado de una investigación en la que se didactiza la Competencia Comunicativa Intercultural (CCI) a través de la Hermenéutica Crítica y el Aprendizaje Colaborativo en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del francés como lengua extranjera. Para vencer las barreras socioculturales que se encuentran en el contexto sociolingüístico mayoritariamente monolingüe en que se lleva a cabo el proyecto, se recurre a la ficcionalidad con el propósito de recrear espacios interculturales ambientados por mundos ficcionales creados por los equipos de trabajo de los estudiantes de la Universidad del Quindío del Programa de Licenciatura en Lenguas Modernas. Se pretende demostrar que el pacto ficcional es una alternativa narrativa didácticamente viable que permite ubicar a los estudiantes en espacios verosímiles.

English in a post‐Brexit European Union

ABSTRACTThis article speculates about the possible effects of the Brexit process on the status and functions of English in the European Union (EU). One issue here is whether Brexit will result in the weakening of the status of English within the Union, or whether this process will, ironically, strengthen the power of English as the principal working language of the EU, as well as the primary L2 among Europeans. One possibility here is that the exit of Britain from the Union will clear the sociolinguistic space for the emergence of an authentic European English, used by members of the EU as a ‘second language’ or (even) a quasi‐Outer Circle English, serving the needs of the European Union as the common link language for administration and cooperation between member states.

Tracing academic literacies across contemporary literacy sponsorscapes: Mobilities, ideologies, identities, and technologies

Locating itself broadly within the 'sociolinguistics of mobility' (Blommaert, 2014) and taking heed of Stornaiuolo and Hall's (2014) call to 'trace resonance' in writing and literacies research, this article works to trace academic literacies across the emerging 'literacy sponsorscapes' (Wargo, 2016a) of contemporary culture. Despite its variance and recent resurgence (Lillis and Scott, 2007), academic literacies continues to be reduced to: (1) an instrumentalist and pragmatic pedagogy, and (2) the ability to navigate academic conventions and practices of higher education (Lea and Street, 1998), in particular the writing classroom (Castelló and Donahue, 2012). This centred focus, however, is limiting, and silences the more innocuous and less tangible sponsors of academic literacies: mobilities, ideologies, identities, and technologies. Set against the backdrop of globalization, and grounded in two case studies, this article considers how academic literacies are not an 'and' but an 'elsewhere', thereby emphasizing the importance of sociolinguistic space in academic literacy development. In it, we chart new directions for scholarship and underscore how ideologies shift with mobilities (Pennycook, 2008; Pennycook, 2012), are indexed by identities (De Costa and Norton, 2016; Hawkins, 2005), and extend through technologies (Lam, 2009; Rymes, 2012). By outlining a literacy sponsorscapes framework for studying academic literacies, this article highlights the purchasing power of seeing academic literacies not solely as a field or set of practices, but rather as a locating mechanism for studying a range of hybridized repertoires that are shaped and constituted by the physical and social spaces that contemporary youth inhabit.

L’espace sociolinguistique et les actes de langage

The notion of sociolinguistic space is discussed, on a theoretical level as well as on an empirical one. It is conceived as a non-dual concept, and it intends to refer to the simultaneous social and linguistic dimensions of the language acts of each actor. Its use allows the sociolinguist to reconsider the sameness or difference of identities and languages expressed in discourse. The contribution is set upon research on multilingualism, mainly in Senegal.

Theorizing mobility in semiotic landscapes

This study theorizes connections between semiotic resources and mobility in public displays of language with reference to data from Brownsville, Texas and Betultujuh, Central Java. From an ethnographic perspective, the paper explores the relation of public signage to the mobility of human beings and the mobility of texts in space and time. The semiotic landscape of Brownsville reflects a stratified sociolinguistic space shaped by a history of contact between English and Spanish and the continuing movement of people, goods, and texts across the U.S.-Mexico border. In Betultujuh, by contrast, a semiotic landscape characterized by indeterminacy, amid the influence of national language ideologies and globalizing English, shows evidence of a cultural shift mediated by the circulation of material artifacts and features of language. Based on these analyses, it is argued that porous borders between languages are tied to the mobility of people, texts, and things in a globalizing world.

Romani in the Czech sociolinguistic space

AbstractThe study was prompted by the question of whether Romani, the language of the dominant and traditional minority, is acceptable as a language in the profile of a bilingual living in the Czech Republic. It outlines the situation of Romani in the Czech sociolinguistic space and argues for its rehabilitation so that it could be studied, taught, maintained in a community, and used to represent its speakers. This is necessary in order to raise its prestige, positively affect its speakers’ identity and in turn stimulate an attitudinal shift and social change. Obstacles to Romani rehabilitation are related to it being framed by Czech culture, which is driven by a standard language ideology rendering Romani a stigmatized language. Romani speakers distance themselves from Romani dialects and the ethnolect as expressions of social and economic disadvantage. Recent research has established that Romani has shown signs of language shift.

Czech Sign Language in contemporary Czech society

AbstractCzech Sign Language (CzSL) is a vital means of communication used in the Czech Deaf community; it constitutes an essential communication tool for a minority population in the Czech sociolinguistic space. The aim of the article is to provide an overview of the usage of CzSL in contemporary Czech society, to sketch a brief history of its formative stages and to list the challenges the Czech Deaf face nowadays. An emphasis is placed on the question of bilingualism of the CzSL users. Our special focus is on the questions of language socialization and social-cognitive development, as the early years set the stage for a Deaf child’s and the Deaf community’s subsequent advancement. Real world implications for the healthy and uncompromised development resonate throughout the discussion of the Czech education system and the place of the Deaf in it. CzSL represents an irrefutable part of the identity of the Czech Deaf population and, as such, merits a critical consideration in the context of the minority languages in the present day Czech society.

Multilingualism and minorities in the Czech sociolinguistic space: introduction

Multilingualism and minorities in the Czech sociolinguistic space: introduction

A comparison of heritage language ideologies in interaction

In Canada, the notion of a heritage language ideology is often conceived of as a natural by‐product of official multiculturalism. By contrast, Germany has long struggled with its status as a multilingual and multicultural country. By comparing two corpora of interviews with immigrants to each of these two countries (Canadians of German heritage and Germans of Vietnamese heritage), this paper aims to explore to what extent these different language ideologies are reconstructed in the interviews. It will be argued that the interviewees construct different sociolinguistic spaces and take up different positions within them in terms of centre and periphery. Our analysis shows that the German‐Canadian interviewees construct public sociolinguistic spaces in which they position themselves as German even when they do not have an active knowledge of their heritage language. By contrast, despite the monolingual habitus in Germany, the German‐Vietnamese respondents endorse a heritage language ideology; the space they claim for speaking Vietnamese, however, is restricted to private or family conversations.