Language choice in Multilangual Communities Flashcards
A Sociolinguistic Perspective
What is a linguistic repertoire?
the collection of language varieties or codes an individual can use in different social contexts.
Example of Linguistic Repertoire
Kalala, living in Bukavu
* uses informal Shi with his family
* Kingwana in the marketplace
* Indoubil with his friends.
What are domains of language use?
typical settings where interactions occur, influencing language choice based on participants, setting, and topic.
What is a model of variety or code choice?
A model represents norms of language use within a community,
summarizing which code is typically selected for different situations.
Example of Domains of Language Use
- family
- friendship
- religion
- education
-
employment
each associated with specific language varieties.
Example of Model of Variety or Code Choice
Maria’s model includes
Portuguese at home
English at school
Portuguese in church
reflecting domain-based language selection
What are social factors affecting code choice?
- social distance
- status relationships,
- setting, formality
- interactional goals
Example of Social Factors Affecting Code Choice
- Oi Lin Tan uses Cantonese with her mother
-
Singapore English with her sisters,
reflecting familiarity and social dynamics.
What is diglossia?
the coexistence of two distinct language varieties within a community, each serving different functions.
Example of Diglossia
In Switzerland, Silvia uses
* Swiss German dialects in everyday interactions
* Standard German for formal contexts,
