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LANGUAGE IN SOCIETY
LANGUAGE AND
ETHNICITY
SOCIAL NETWORKS
pattern of informal
informal relationships people
are involved in on a regular basis
Density:: whether members of a person’
Density
person’s
netw
etwork are in touch with each other
Plexity:: measure of different types of
Plexity
transactions people are involved in with
different individuals
– uniplex
uniplex:: link in only one area
– multiplex
multiplex:: interactions along several lines
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
2/13
SOCIAL NETWORKS
(CONT.)
The more dense and multiplex, the more
closed.
The more closed, the more our speech
(language
(lang
uage use/pattern
use/pattern)) is affected by /
reflects the language
language used in the network.
network.
Most adults
adults belong to more than one
netw
etwork.
ork.
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
3/13
ETHNICITY
What is an ethnic group?
Belonging can be physical and personal
How does ethnicity and language use interrelate?
Ethnic
thnic group using its own language,
language, e.g.: in Africa
– OPTION A
A:: E
Language is a defining characteristic of ethnic group
membership, groups distinguish themselves through language.
– OPTION B
B:: Ethnic groups speak an ethnic variety of the
language of mainstream society / state
e.g.: AfroAfro-Americans in US, gypsies in Hungary
Ethnic group identity is signaled by an ethnic variety of same
language..
language
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
4/13
Why do ethnic varieties
varieties exist
exist?
?
Do physical (genetic, biological) reasons for
linguistic differences exist?
exist?
USA experiment demonstrates 2 things:
1. People assign others to diff
different
erent ethnic
groups merely by hearing them speak - not
necessary to see them.
them.
2. Diff
Differences
erences between spoken varieties are
socially determined,
determined, entirely the result of learned
behaviour,, result from social networks.
behaviour
networks.
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
5/13
Why do ethnic varieties
varieties exist
exist?
?
(Cont.)
Because of ethnic differences (distances)
and barriers between various groups of
society
Attitudinal factors:
factors: ethnic groups are aware
of ethnic group membership,
membership, which they
unconsciously emphasise through
language
lang
uage use
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
6/13
BLACK (VERNACULAR(VERNACULARAMERICAN) ENGLISH (BVE)
Most striking example for linguistic ethnic
group differentiation in English
English speaking
world
In the past:
past:
differences held to be result of genetic,
physical reasons
variety held to be inferior because of
inferiority of black people
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
7/13
TERMS (BE, BAE)
Problem: Terms ‘Black
‘Black English’,
English’, ‘Black
American English’
English’ suggest every black
person (in America) speaks it, while no
white does.
does.
Black Vernacular English (BVE):
(BVE):
distinguishes those blacks who do not
speak standard
standard Amer
American
ican from those who
do. Still problematic
problematic,, but better than B(A)E.
B(A)E.
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
8/13
Characteristic features of BVE
1. Phonology
2. Grammar – examples:
It’s a girl name Shirley live in Washington. ’Most
everybody like her, ‘cause she a nice girl. Shirley
like a boy name Charles. But she keep away
from him and he don’t hardly say nothing to her
neither.
He usually be around. They sometimes be rude.
I asked her where did she go…. I wanted to know
did she come…
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
9/13
BVE and its users
Functions today as a separate ethnic(ethnic(group) variety,
variety, which identifies its
speakers as blacks, rather than whites.
whites.
As the variety used in schools is the
standard,
tandard, children who are native
speakers of BVE have difficulty,
difficulty, can even
face relative educational failure.
failure.
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
10/13
10
/13
Solving
olving educational problems of
BVE speaking children
“elimination of nonnon-stand
standard
ard speech”
Child is prevented from using his native,
non--standard
non
standard variety. T
Teacher
eachers
s correct all
non--std features as bad or incorrect, while
non
Stand Eng is presented as correct and
good,, model to attain.
good
Rather problematic for a number of reasons.
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
11/13
11
/13
Solving
olving educational problems of
BVE speaking children (cont.)
“bidialectalism”
Child can use own vernac
vernacular
ular variety at
home, with friends, and in certain
situations at school, but is taught also to
read and write in the standard. Also taught
to switch code from one V to other, as
appropriate, as situation
situation demands.
Still has problematic points
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
12/13
12
/13
Solving
olving educational problems of
BVE speaking children (cont.)
“appreciation of dialect differences”
This view states that if children suffer
because of their V at school, this is due to
society’s and teachers’ negative attitudes
→→ →→ society’s attitude shoul
should
d be
changed, not the language.
Mónos Katalin, Language in Society
Lecture Course, Ethnicity
13/13
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/13