Week 8a - Multilingualism, diglossia etc.

Question 1

Give 3 facts about languages

Answer 1

• 5,000-7,000 languages spoken on Earth
• 250 languages are spoken by 97% of population
• 80% of minority languages are confined to single countries

Question 2

Define multilingualism

Answer 2

The use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a community of speakers

Question 3

How are languages used in multilingual nations?

Answer 3

• Casual speech
• Formal speech
• School
• Government/institutions

Question 4

Define lingua franca

Answer 4

A common language between speakers whose native languages are different eg. English for Chinese and Japanese businessmen

Question 5

Bilingualism Study

Answer 5

• Bilingualism 1968 Rubin
• Paraguay
• Spanish and Guaraní (indigenous)
• Urban people more likely to be bilingual
• Rural people monolingual in Guaraní
• Guaraní national pride signal

Question 6

Define polyglossia

Answer 6

Coexistence of two or more languages, or distinct varieties of the same language, within a speech community

Question 7

Define bilingualism

Answer 7

The use of two languages, either by an individual speaker or by a community of speakers

Question 8

Define diglossia

Name

Date

Answer 8

• Use of two languages or two varieties of a language within a community
• Under different conditions
• High variety and low variety

Holmes 2013

Question 9

Define extended diglossia

Answer 9

When the two varieties are not related

Question 10

What is the distinguishable difference between bilingualism and diglossia?

Answer 10

• Diglossia has two varieties that are used for complete different purposes and situations

Question 11

Define high variety

Answer 11

The language or variety of a language that is not used in everyday conversation. Used for public speaking and formal address.

Question 12

Define low variety

Answer 12

The colloquial language or variety of a language, used for everyday conversation.

Question 13

Literary heritage of diglossic languages

Answer 13

• High is often found in the literature
• Little written use of Low variety
• High variety is THE language
• Low variety is often claimed to be spoken by lesser people

Question 14

Acquisition of diglossic languages

Answer 14

• Low variety learnt first, mother tongue

- High variety acquired through school

Question 15

Standardisation of diglossic languages

Answer 15

• High is strictly standardised, dictionaries, grammar

- Low is rarely standardised

Question 16

Define code-switching/mixing

Answer 16

The use of two languages in one conversation/utterance

Question 17

Code-switching study

Name
Date

Answer 17

Poplack 1980

• Puerto Ricans in NYC
• Females code-switch more