Standard German Research Articles

Between formal and informal standards.

This article presents results from an explorative comparative study on ‘double standard’ constellations in French, German and (Brazilian) Portuguese. The concept of 'double' or even ‘multiple standards’ is based on the observation that many current standard languages are not homogeneous. Rather, the divergence of written and spoken standards, the emergence of informal standards and pluricentric/pluriareal situations have often resulted in the coexistence of different standard varieties/standard language registers. The aim of our study is to identify and discuss ‘double standard’ situations in three major languages against the background of the respective standardisation histories and current developments. Despite their different standardisation ages, ‘double standard’ constellations have emerged in all three languages, firstly, between written and spoken standard varieties, and, secondly, between different spoken registers – albeit with very different manifestations, ranging from a continuum between formal and informal registers (French) and the emergence of a ‘Neo-standard’ (with regional features) parallel to a conservative spoken standard (German) to the increasing integration of informal registers into a post-colonial standard variety (Portuguese in Brazil). In all three cases, the developments in the spoken standard can be seen as a process of demotisation. Although informal registers have become increasingly prevalent, the popular idea of a ‘best language’ remains unchallenged.

Quality of life of patients with neurofibromatosis 1-Physical disability does not necessarily result in poor mental health.

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is a chronic neurocutaneous disease known to profoundly affect quality of life (QoL). We have performed an analysis of disease severity, mental and physical QoL and compare the different subclasses among patients with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). We conducted a prospective analysis of 89 NF1 patients between January 2016 and March 2018. Data sourced from local records including demographic information, employment status, education level, and marital status. All patients completed 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and additionally the numerical pain rating scale (NPS). Patients were stratified based on severity of NF1, visibility and disease severity. Among 89 patients, severity was classified as grade 4 was identified in 42 (47.2%), moderate in 17 (19.1%), mild in 23 (25.8%) and minimal in 7 (7.9%) cases. According to visibility scale, severe grade 3 was found in 28 (31.5%), moderate grade 2 in 26 (29.2%) and mild grade in 35 (39.3%) cases. SF-36 data, except for pain, showed significantly lower values, if compared to the standard German population (P < 0.001, physical component summary P = 0.045). Sex, marital status and education level did not significantly influence results. Employment was significantly associated with better mental and physical status (P = 0.028 and P = 0.01 respectively) and age >40 was linked to lower physical (P = 0.027) but not mental component scores (P = 0.362). The numerical pain rating scale indicated pain levels of 7-10 in 9 cases (10,1%), 5-6 in 10 patients (11.2%), 1-4 in 26 patients (29.2%) and no pain in 44 cases (49.4%). Physical component scores significantly differed across different NPS grades (P < 0.001) but not in mental component scores (P = 0.06). Finally, no significant differences were found in mental component scores across severity or visibility grades. Severity and visibility grades of patients with NF1 may not necessarily result in poor mental health. Symptomatic treatment should be considered even for severely disabled patients as they may have comparable QoL to less severely affected patients with NF1. Employment was linked to better quality of life outcomes in our findings.

Revision of Press-Fit Bone-Anchored Prosthesis After Implant Failure.

The present video article describes the revision of a bone-anchored prosthesis in patients who received an osseointegration implant after transfemoral amputation. Clinical follow-up studies have shown that approximately 5% of all patients who receive press-fit cobalt-chromium alloy femoral implants experience failure of the intramedullary stem component as a result of septic loosening or stem breakage. For stem breakage, stem diameter and the occurrence of infectious events were identified as risk factors. We began regularly utilizing the standard German press-fit endo-exo cast cobalt-chrome implant in 2009, but changed to the forged titanium version in 2014 (BADAL X, OTN Implants) because of the breakages associated with the former implant. No breakages have been reported since making the switch, and as such we currently still utilize the titanium implant. Current Commission Européenne-certified bone-anchored implants for transfemoral amputation include a screw-type stem and a press-fit stem. The revision technique demonstrated in the present article may apply to both types of implant system, but this video is limited to demonstrating the use of a press-fit implant. We describe the 3 stages of debridement, removal, and subsequent implantation of a bone-anchored prosthesis in a revision setting. We perform this procedure in up to 3 stages, with 10 to 12 weeks between removal of the failed implant and implantation of the revision prosthesis. For stage 1, in case of mechanical failure, the broken remnants of the implant, which may dangle in the soft tissues, are removed. The stoma is debrided, after which spontaneous stoma healing is achieved. In cases of septic loosening, stage 1 includes removal of the implant by retrograde hammering, followed by multiple debridements with flexible reamers and jet lavage until negative cultures are obtained. In stage 2, the broken osseointegration implant is removed with use of a custom-made titanium water-cooled hollow drill. With the use of this drill, we have always been successful in removing the broken implant while maintaining sufficient bone stock for future implant revision. If the corer fails, a larger approach is needed to remove the implant. The corer drill should have a wall that is as thin but as robust as possible in order to avoid cortical perforation, and should be manufactured from a strong material in order to resist the usage against the implant. We utilized a steel corer when initially performing this procedure, which was frequently unsuccessful, necessitating a larger approach to remove the implant. We currently utilize a 3D-printed corer drill with integrated water-cooling system with greater success (Xilloc Medical). This corer is custom-made and needs about 6 weeks for designing and manufacturing. This tool is utilized in the present video article. Stage 3 includes revision implantation of an osseointegration prosthesis, utilizing similar templating as in the primary surgical procedure. The time needed for the bone to recover from explantation is arbitrary, but we allow around 2 to 3 months before implanting a new intramedullary component. In cases of poor bone stock, a bone impaction graft can be applied prior to insertion of revision implant. A return to the prior mobilization level is an alternative to revision of the failed implant. Failure due to stem breakage can occur in cases utilizing small-diameter cobalt-chromium implants. Such cases can be revised with use of large-diameter titanium implants, provided there is sufficient bone stock. Failure due to septic loosening may occur in patients who are not properly indicated for this procedure, such as those with severe dysvascular disease or diabetes mellitus. A revised implant is also at increased risk for recurrent failure. Revision of bone-anchored prostheses includes up to 3 stages depending on whether the revision is for septic loosening or stem breakage. Although we allow 10 to 12 weeks before implanting a new intramedullary component, the time needed for the bone to recover from the explantation is arbitrary. During this interval, a temporary socket can be manufactured to allow mobilization with use of an artificial limb; however, most patients use just crutches and/or a wheelchair during this interval. Be aware of the type of implant that needs to be removed.Prepare for long operative times, especially in cases in which implants need to be cut or when dense cortical bone is expected.Account for 1.5 to 2 mm of extra diameter of the coring drill on either side in order to allow for the curvature of the press-fit implant.Plan for and acquire the right tools. Make sure to have at least 2 corer drills present in case of damage or malfunction.Utilize a fluoroscope frequently during initial drilling around the stem remnant.In case of poor bone stock, prepare for future bone impaction grafting when planning for revision implantation of a bone-anchored prosthesis. OI = osseointegration implantBAP = bone-anchored prosthesisBIG = bone impaction grafting.

Increased Breathiness in Adolescent Kiezdeutsch Speakers: A Marker of Multiethnolectal Group Affiliation?

Kiezdeutsch is a multiethnolectal variety of German spoken by young people from multicultural communities that exhibits lexical, syntactic, and phonetic differences from standard German. A rather salient and pervasive feature of this variety is the fronting of the standard palatal fricative /ç/ (as in ich "I") to [ɕ] or [ʃ]. Previous perception work shows that this difference is salient and carries social meaning but dependent on the listener group. Further investigations also point to the significance of /ɔɪ/-fronting in production; however, whether this is salient in perception has not yet been investigated. In several (multi)ethnolectal varieties, differences in voice quality compared to the standard have been identified. Therefore, in this study, we present an acoustic comparison of voice quality in adolescent speakers of Kiezdeutsch and standard German, with results showing that Kiezdeutsch speakers produce a breathier voice quality. In addition, we report on a perception test designed to examine the social meaning of voice quality in combination with two segmental cues: coronalization of /ç/ and /ɔɪ/-fronting. The results indicate perceptual gradience for phonetic alternations detected in Kiezdeutsch with coronalization of /ç/ being a highly salient and reliable marker, whereas fronting of /ɔɪ/ and breathy voice do not appear to be clearly enregistered features of Kiezdeutsch by all listeners. Thus, even though we find differences in production, these may not necessarily be relevant in perception, pointing toward enregisterment- like sound change-being a continuous process of forming learned associations through tokens of experiences.

Eberhard Kranzmayer’s dovetailing with Nazism: His fascist years and the ‘One Standard German Axiom (OSGA)’

Eberhard Kranzmayer is arguably Austria’s most influential German dialectologist. The present article traces Kranzmayer’s Nazi years (NSDAP member number 8.061.495) in archival sources in Vienna, Graz, Munich, Klagenfurt and Berlin. This account reconstructs Kranzmayer’s role in the Nazi machine, especially his directorship of the ‘Institut für Kärntner Landesforschung’ [Institute for Carinthian Provincial Research]. Kranzmayer’s pan-German and völkisch orientations long predate his Nazi years; his studies under the Nazis are congruent with the positions he held pre- and, significantly, post-World War II. The new data presented here show that Kranzmayer’s second denazification proceedings was disingenuous. On the disciplinary level, Kranzmayer’s pan-German stance has had profound influence on the modelling of Austrian German, which today has caused many controversies; indeed, today, it seems tied inter alia to a ‘One Standard German Axiom’ (OSGA). It is argued that any materials that Kranzmayer collected, edited and published would need to be vetted by period historians for pan-German bias and mitigated before use.

The Treuhand and the Treuhanderschaft from the perspective of the specialised combined parallel-comparable corpus

Corpora-based analysis has become one of the major methodologies used in linguistics. However, it has not been widely applied in legalese studies. The paper makes an attempt to discuss the usefulness of the specialized combined parallel-comparable corpus while dealing with the legal language. The effectiveness is presented on the example of the Treuhand and the Treuhänderschaft. The research is based on the comparative analysis as well as the corpus-based analysis of the terms related to the Treuhand and the Treuhänderschaft presented in two varieties of German: Standard German spoken in Germany and Liechtenstein’s German. The corpus-based analysis reveals the juridical-semantic differences and the problematics of the verbal realization of the concepts. These hinder a proper interpretation and complicate the process of translation. The major solution is found through the specification of meaning by renaming. This solution may acquire the greatest importance in today’s world, because the process of globalization widens the area of utilization of the Treuhand and the Treuhänderschaft and any obscurity or incomprehensibility can cause problems during cross-national linguistic and juridical activities.

Does the linguistic market explain sociolinguistic variation in spoken Swiss Standard German?

Abstract This paper shows (a) how the concept of the linguistic market can be operationalized as an index to enable its inclusion as a factor in variationist analysis and (b) how this index helps to explain sociolinguistic variation in a diglossic situation. To do this, sociolinguistic interviews were conducted in Swiss Standard German among 16 L1-dialect-speakers aged between 19 and 40 from Biel/Bienne in western Switzerland. Drawing from participants’ self-assessments of the importance of Standard German in their professional life, a linguistic market index (LMI) was created and cross-validated with external assessments. Our variationist analysis considered four phonetic-phonological variables—/k/, /ç/, /aː/, /ɛ-ɛː/—for which typical Swiss variants (i.e., sociolinguistic stereotypes) exist. Findings show that the LMI is crucial for explaining variation in all the variables tested. Other social (i.e., gender and formality of the language production task) and linguistic factors (e.g., phonetic environment) show partial effects as well.

On the relationship between complexity of primary occupation and L2 varietal behavior in adult migrants in Austria

Abstract This article explores for the first time the relationship between occupational complexity (operationalized using the complexity measures indicated in the Dictionary of occupational titles) and adult migrants’ second language (L2) sociolinguistic repertoires in the Austro-Bavarian naturalistic context. We analyze the data of 36 adult migrant L2 German speakers who participated in a virtual reality experiment involving interactions with a dialect-speaking and standard German-speaking interlocutor, the goal being to capture participants’ interpersonal varietal behavior, that is, their addressee-relational, differential use of standard German, Austro-Bavarian dialect, and mixture varieties. Bayesian multinomial mixed-effects models reveal that participants with occupations requiring more handling and physical precision work are predicted to employ dialect varieties more often, but exclusively in interaction with the standard German-speaking interlocutor. A person-centered visual-quantitative analysis additionally facilitates insights concerning which migrants deviate most notably from group-level patterns, and how these deviations may relate to the complexity of their primary occupation. More generally, this study paves new ground with respect to how we can operationally define and capture the complexity of occupational status, and moreover sets out a new direction for research questions investigating how career-related differences impact on (L2) language variation and use.

Zum Inhalt Und Zur Sprache Der Einträge Aus Den Jahren 1361-1380 Im Ältesten Stadtbuch Der Stadt Görlitz. On The Content And Language Of The Records From The Years 1361-1380 In The Oldest Chancery Book Of The Town Zgorzelec (Görlitz)

The article concerns a presentation of the content and of the results of the phonemic-graphemic analysis of the German records from the second half of the 14th century (1361-1380), which come from the town council of Zgorzelec (Görlitz). The purpose of the paper is to answer the question what the spelling rules in the town chancellery of Zgorzelec are and how the script fixes the features of the spoken language from the past. Due to the analysis, it could be explicitly proved, that the German used in the text matches to the level of evolution of the German language within the periodization of history of the language as it contains the standard Early New High German features as well as the dialectal structures and the sound changes, which are emblematic for the Silesian dialect. The text can therefore be classified as one of the linguistic monuments of the East Central German of Silesian tradition. All the conclusions of the study are supported with the suitable examples.

Verschriftungsprinzipien im geschriebenen Dialekt: WhatsApp-Nachrichten aus Südtirol

Although the orthographic norm of the standard language has dominated most written registers of German, social media and other non-standardized digital contexts have recently given rise to the written use of dialects and vernaculars in informal communication. The written use of non-standard dialects is especially wide-spread in the south of the German-speaking area, e. g. in Switzerland, Bavaria, Austria and South Tyrol, where various studies have reported the use of dialectal forms in digital contexts such as Chatrooms, WhatsApp or Facebook (cf. Christen 2004; Glaznieks/Frey 2018). Using a corpus of South Tyrolean WhatsApp chats with corresponding audio recordings of the chat authors retelling the chat contents, we analyze four phonetic-phonological phenomena of Tyrolean dialects, characteristic of the southern German-speaking area: pre-consonantal s-retraction, the neutralization of the phonemes /p/ and /b/ in word-initial position, vowels undergoing umlaut or unrounding and the realisation of r in the coda of unstressed syllables. In particular, we analyze if and how these phenomena of the dialect are represented in the written form. The results show that Standard German graphematic conventions form the basis for most dialect spellings in WhatsApp chats. However, they are sometimes abandoned for the benefit of spellings that explicitly represent dialectal pronunciations. Interestingly, in some cases these dialectal spellings do not correspond to the pronunciation of the writers who, instead, opt for a pronunciation closer to that of the standard language.

Sociolinguistic competence and varietal repertoires in a second language: A study on addressee‐dependent varietal behavior using virtual reality

AbstractThe present study takes a variationist perspective to explore the varietal repertoires of adult learners of German as a second language (L2), that is, their variable use of standard German, Austro‐Bavarian dialect, and mixture varieties. Forty L2 learners completed a virtual reality task involving interactions with dialect‐speaking and standard‐German‐speaking interlocutors. Using Bayesian multilevel modeling, the goal was to explore differential outcomes in the acquisition of sociolinguistic competence by determining whether participants adjusted their varietal behavior to match that of the interlocutor (i.e., varietal convergence). The results show that there were no interindividual addressee‐dependent convergence tendencies. A holistic person‐centered analysis of individual learners’ intraspeaker variation revealed that only select L2 learners adjusted their usage patterns but did not entirely invert their usage of dialect and standard language as a function of the variety of the interlocutor. Introspective qualitative data speak to potential drivers behind the differential development of L2 (multi)varietal repertoires.

Does Diglossia Impact Brain Structure? Data from Swiss German Early Diglossic Speakers.

(1) Background: Bilingualism has been reported to shape the brain by inducing cortical changes in cortical and subcortical language and executive networks. Similar yet different to bilingualism, diglossia is common in Switzerland, where the German-speaking population switches between an everyday spoken Swiss German (CH-GER) dialect and the standard German (stGER) used for reading and writing. However, no data are available for diglossia, defined as the use of different varieties or dialects of the same language, regarding brain structure. The aim of our study is to investigate if the presence of this type of diglossia has an impact on the brain structure, similar to the effects seen in bilingualism. (2) Methods: T1-weighted anatomical MRI scans of participants were used to compare the grey matter density and grey matter volume of 22 early diglossic CH-GER-speaking and 20 non-diglossic French-speaking right-handed university students, matched for age, linguistics and academic background. The images were processed with Statistical Parametric Mapping SPM12 and analyzed via voxel- and surface-based morphometry. (3) Results: A Bayesian ANCOVA on the whole brain revealed no differences between the groups. Also, for the five regions of interest (i.e., planum temporale, caudate nucleus, ACC, DLPFC and left interior parietal lobule), no differences in the cortical volume or thickness were found using the same statistical approach. (4) Conclusion: The results of this study may suggest that early diglossia does not shape the brain structure in the same manner as bilingualism.

Erwerbstrajektorien von Varietätenkompetenz in der Zweitsprache: Eine temporal-relationale Perspektive auf das Aneignungsverhältnis standardsprachlicher und bairisch-dialektaler Merkmale

Abstract To date, no studies exist attempting to capture the temporal-relational emergence of dialect and standard German features in the second language (L2) across residence time in the Austro-Bavarian naturalistic context. In order to address this desideratum, 40 migrants with L2 German completed translation tasks assessing their ability to translate from standard German into dialect and vice versa. Taking a cross-sectional developmental perspective, our goal is to examine when dialect features (e. g., a-darkening, l-vocalization) manifest in participants’ multivarietal repertoires during residence in Austria over a timespan of approximately 13 years. The results of Bayesian binary logistic multilevel modeling reveal that participants quickly acquire dialect features such as negation particles (e. g., standard nicht vs. dialectal ned), fricative reduction (e. g., standard ich vs. dialectal i:), and Bavarian article use (e. g., standard das vs. dialectal des), but, even after over a decade of residence, do not produce morphological or syntactic dialectal features such as 2. person plural -s (e. g., standard braucht vs. dialectal brauchts) or relative clause connectors (e. g., standard die vs. dialectal de wos). Our results add to discussions concerning how the Austro-Bavarian naturalistic context impacts on patterns of L2 language variation and use and lend key insights into inquiries concerning which dialect features L2 learners acquire and when.

Auditives Dekodierungstraining zur Unterstützung der Dolmetscherausbildung: Die Rolle der deutschen Sprachvarietäten und der neuen Technologien

The paper aims to propose a reflection on the importance of German varieties in the preparation of interpreters. Like many other languages, German is classified as a pluricentric language, i. e. a language officially spoken in more than one centre or nation. This makes it a very variegated language that boasts a multitude of both standard and non-standard varieties. The task of interpreters who choose German as a foreign language is therefore to be able to understand and translate into another language what is spoken by native speakers of German, many of whom, according to the previous statement, often speak different varieties. To do this, the interpreters’ preparation must consider the inclusion of the different language varieties of both standard and non-standard German, especially at the level of auditory decoding, in order to facilitate the understanding of the message at a receptive level. Starting from the definition of a pluricentric language, this contribution will highlight the main difficulties of interpreters at the level of listening comprehension, most of which are found at the level of auditory decoding, before proposing training aimed at decoding the different varieties of standard and non-standard German realised through the use of new technologies.

Codification in the shadow of standards: ideologies in early nineteenth-century metalinguistic texts on Luxembourgish

ABSTRACT Inspired by the ideological and multilingual turn in ‘third wave’ language standardisation studies (McLelland 2020, Walsh 2021), this paper demonstrates the value of these perspectives for historical analysis by exploring the implications of language ideologies for the early codification of Luxembourgish. As a ‘late’ standardised language (Vogl 2012), Luxembourgish provides a valuable case study for evaluating how existing powerful standard language regimes (Gal 2006) ideologically influence the discursive construction of a ‘late’ standard language, especially in multilingual borderlands. Ideologies of linguistic differentiation (Irvine & Gal 2000; Gal & Irvine 2019) are inherent in the standardisation process of Luxembourgish which sits between the Romance and Germanic language spheres of influence. The analysis focuses on metadiscourses of three early texts on Luxembourgish (Meyer 1829, Meyer & Gloden 1845, De la Fontaine 1855) in their discussions and proposals for codification. The diverse labelling of Luxembourgish in the texts forms part of a metadiscourse of differentiation and hierarchical contrast. Other core emergent discourses foreground affinities with Standard French and Standard German respectively but in differing ways that evoke the ideological notion of erasure. The final part of the analysis identifies further discourses that, in contrast, frame Luxembourgish as unique and different from other languages.

Signature Dynamics of Development in Second Language Sociolinguistic Competence: Evidence From an Intensive Microlongitudinal Study

AbstractThis study is the first to explore microdevelopment in sociolinguistic evaluative judgments of standard German and Austro‐Bavarian dialect by adult second language learners of German by using dense time serial measurements. Intensive longitudinal data (10 observations per participant) were collected from four learners at approximately weekly intervals over 3 months. We employed generalized additive models with superimposed periods of significant change to identify rapid developmental phases in individual developmental trajectories. By triangulating these models with qualitative introspective and retrodictive interview data, we identified environmental and psychological stimuli for change. Learners evinced increasing and decreasing periods of significant change, independent of length of residence. Dynamic constellations of identity‐ and agency‐related variables alongside more intensive social interaction with target‐variety speakers contributed to significant changes. We discuss findings from a complexity perspective and advocate for microlongitudinal studies in variationist second language acquisition to better capture stimuli for change in learners’ emerging multivarietal repertoires.

Normalizing Swiss German Dialects with the Power of Large Language Models

Swiss German dialects pose significant challenges for natural language processing (NLP) applications, due to their lack of standard orthography, linguistic diversity, and scarcity of annotated data. We introduce a novel method for normalizing Swiss German text to Standard German by employing the mT5 model, a cutting-edge large language model (LLM) that can perform various text-to-text transformations across multiple languages. Our approach not only aims to enhance the processing of Swiss German dialects but also seeks to broaden the understanding of the adaptability of pre-trained LLMs in the realm of dialect normalization. By fine-tuning the mT5 model across its small, base, and large variants with the SwissDial dataset under various hyperparameter settings, we evaluated the performance of these models using the character n-gram F-score (ChrF) and the COMET metrics. The results demonstrated that the mT5 model, particularly its smallest variant, can achieve high-quality normalization of Swiss German dialects with minimal performance differences between the model sizes. This indicates that the SwissDial dataset is sufficiently extensive for effective fine-tuning, suggesting that even less resource-intensive models are viable for this task. Our findings advocate for the potential of LLMs, like mT5, as powerful instruments for dialect normalization and other NLP challenges, offering a promising alternative to traditional methods.

Methodological Aspects of Teaching German as a Pluricentric Language

This scientific article explores the methodological aspects of teaching German as a pluricentric language, with a specific focus on the role of the Austrian national variant. Pluricentrism theory suggests that the German language is characterized by equal national variants present in German-speaking countries. Researching these national variants is crucial, as it combines linguistics with ethnolinguistics and cultural studies, providing a deeper understanding of language phenomena through an anthropocentric lens. One important aspect of studying a national language and its variants is examining the national worldview and functioning of ethnically marked vocabulary. While textbooks and manuals for teaching German as a foreign language often overlook the norms and standards of Austrian German, the existing differences between national varieties encompass all linguistic levels. Several researchers have contributed to the study of German language variability, particularly the Austrian variant. They have examined grammatical, pragmatic, and phonological peculiarities, as well as the language’s functions in various styles and contexts. However, certain issues remain unresolved, such as linguistic processes in the Austrian German vocabulary, the functional capacity of Austriacisms (Austrian-specific terms) compared to Standard High German counterparts, and the impact of Austrian language policy and media on linguistic processes. The study employs a methodology that involves analysing Austriacisms found in dictionaries and verifying their usage in Austrian newspapers. The researchers explore the lexical and semantic aspects of Austriacisms, categorizing them into three groups: Austrian realia, semantic Austriacisms with different meanings in Austria, and lexical Austriacisms used in Austria instead of German counterparts. The article presents the results of this analysis, highlighting thematic groups such as gastronomy and management/administration, which are prominent in the Austrian variant. Understanding the methodological aspects of teaching German as a pluricentric language, specifically considering the Austrian national variant, is essential for language educators. By acknowledging and incorporating the linguistic peculiarities of Austrian German into language teaching materials, educators can provide a more comprehensive and accurate representation of the language, facilitating effective language learning and intercultural competence development.

Unpacking the multilingualism continuum: An investigation of language variety co-activation in simultaneous interpreters.

This study examines the phonological co-activation of a task-irrelevant language variety in mono- and bivarietal speakers of German with and without simultaneous interpreting (SI) experience during German comprehension and production. Assuming that language varieties in bivarietal speakers are co-activated analogously to the co-activation observed in bilinguals, the hypothesis was tested in the Visual World paradigm. Bivarietalism and SI experience were expected to affect co-activation, as bivarietalism requires communication-context based language-variety selection, while SI hinges on concurrent comprehension and production in two languages; task type was not expected to affect co-activation as previous evidence suggests the phenomenon occurs during comprehension and production. Sixty-four native speakers of German participated in an eye-tracking study and completed a comprehension and a production task. Half of the participants were trained interpreters and half of each sub-group were also speakers of Swiss German (i.e., bivarietal speakers). For comprehension, a growth-curve analysis of fixation proportions on phonological competitors revealed cross-variety co-activation, corroborating the hypothesis that co-activation in bivarietals' minds bears similar traits to language co-activation in multilingual minds. Conversely, co-activation differences were not attributable to SI experience, but rather to differences in language-variety use. Contrary to expectations, no evidence for phonological competition was found for either same- nor cross-variety competitors in either production task (interpreting- and word-naming variety). While phonological co-activation during production cannot be excluded based on our data, exploring the effects of additional demands involved in a production task hinging on a language-transfer component (oral translation from English to Standard German) merit further exploration in the light of a more nuanced understanding of the complexity of the SI task.

German in East Lorraine? Reflections on the status of the autochthonous varieties in Northeast France based on the character of near-standard speech

Sometimes a change of a language border is linked to a change in language status of a group of diatopic varieties. The assessment of language status relates, among other things, to the existence of a common norm (standard variety) and the language community members’ adherence to it. For the germanophone varieties in East Lorraine (France), the status is unclear. Structurally, these varieties belong to the West Middle German dialect continuum. However, since the Second World War, the political and identificatory relations to the German language have been difficult. This article examines whether dialect proficient speakers from East Lorraine can (still) speak Standard German and, if so, how it can be characterised. The study is based on recorded interviews. Interviewees were asked to speak (Standard) German. The analysis of the speech data reveals demerging from the German language. Although being competent in the local dialect, only a minority belonging to the older generation can speak a variety that can be considered endoglossic and near-standard. One third speaks clearly regionally bound varieties, approximately 50% speak German just like a language learner (on various levels of proficiency). Interpreted within the framework of macrosynchronisation (Schmidt &amp; Herrgen 2011), the classification of East Lorraine as belonging to the German-speaking area appears even more uncertain as the Lorrain people no longer align themselves with the common norm of the German-speaking area.