Language Choice in Multilingual Communities - PDF

TOPIC 1 LANGUAGE CHOICE IN MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITIES Suhaila Abdul Wahab Yusfakhira Yusoff Wan Hazwani Wan Hamat OVERVIEW Choosing your variety or code Diglossia Code-switching or Code-mixing Translanguagin...

TOPIC 1 LANGUAGE CHOICE IN MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITIES Suhaila Abdul Wahab Yusfakhira Yusoff Wan Hazwani Wan Hamat OVERVIEW Choosing your variety or code Diglossia Code-switching or Code-mixing Translanguaging  INTRODUCTION In multilingual communities, there are more than one language that is being used. People who are living in these communities can choose a code or a variety that is suitable depending on their situation. CHOOSING YOUR VARIETY OR CODE CHOOSING YOUR VARIETY OR CODE Refers to the process individuals go through to decide which specific dialect or language variety to use in conversation. This decision is influenced by various factors such as social context, audience, personal identity, and pragmatic considerations.  FACTORS Social context: Who we are talking to Social context of the talk Function & topic of the discussion Domain of language use: Involves typical interaction between typical participants in typical setting. For example: Chinese Malaysian  FACTORS Modelling variety or code choice: 3 important social factors in code choice Participants Setting Topic Other social factors affecting code choice: Social distance. For example: People would use a different code between stranger and family member. The status relationship between people. For example: In Singapore, English is the selected code for official transactions regardless of the speaker’s ethnicity. (doctor-patient)  FACTORS Setting & formality. For example: In Paraguay, Spanish is used for formal interactions. The function or goal of the interaction. For example: To differentiate if the speaker is asking a favour or giving orders to someone. DIGLOSSIA DEFINITION Diglossia involves the coexistence of two varieties of a language within a single speech community. One variety, known as the "high" or "H" variety, is typically used in formal, official, or prestigious contexts, while the other, known as the "low" or "L" variety, is used in informal, everyday communication. HIGH VARIETY "H" (PRESTIGE VARIETY) - Used formally in education, literature, and media. - More standardized and complex. - Speakers are seen as prestigious and educated. - Examples: Classical Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, Katharevousa Greek, Classical Latin. LOW VARIETY "L" (VERNACULAR VARIETY) - Informal use in daily talk. - More variation, regionalisms, colloquialisms. - Used by ordinary people. - Examples: regional dialects of Arabic, Demotic Greek, colloquial forms worldwide. EXAMPLES 1. Standard Malay (High Variety): - Standard Malay, also known as Bahasa Melayu Baku or Bahasa Malaysia, is the official language of Malaysia and is used in formal contexts such as education, government, media, and official communication. - ⁠Standard Malay is more standardized, grammatically regulated, and associated with prestige and education. EXAMPLES 2. Regional Dialects and Colloquial Forms (Low Variety): - Various regional dialects and colloquial forms spoken across different states and communities in Malaysia. - ⁠Reflect variations in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, influenced by local culture. - ⁠Examples Kelantanese Malay, Penang Hokkien, Sarawak Malay, and Sabahan Malay. - ⁠Used in everyday conversation, informal settings, and among family and friends.  CODE- SWITCHING OR CODE-MIXING O CODE-SWITCHING - Switch that is produced at the level of sentence (between clauses), V outside the sentence (between utterances) or between sentences - Involving participants,solidarity & status E CODE-MIXING R Insertion of another language at level of word and phrase V TYPES OF CODE-SWITCHING @ CODE-MIXING - Switch ; change in social situation - Status relations / Formality of I - Emblematic switching / Tag switching interaction E TRANSLANGUAGING Ability to move fluidly between languages and a pedagogical approach to W teaching in which teachers support this ability SWITCH ; CHANGE IN SOCIAL MAORI GREETING & SWITCH OF LANGUAGE SITUATION - Expression of solidarity - Particular participant - Indicates positive account of the presence of new participant - Signal of group membership / shared ethnicity & solidarity with the adressee  EMBLEMATIC SWITCHING / TAG SWITCHING INTERJECTION / LINGUISTIC TAG - Serves as an ethnic identity marker - Serves as solidarity marker between two minority ethnic group members whose previous conversation has been entirely in English * Can also distance a speaker from those they are talking to STATUS RELATIONS / FORMALITY NO CHANGE IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE SPOKEN OF BUT IN TERMS OF TOPIC DISCUSSED - Change of topic ; symbolises change in relationship INTERACTION e.g ; neighbour > member of public personal interaction > formal transaction - Sometimes called as situational switching ; could predict the switches TRANSLANGUAGING MUSIC PASSING BOX GAME THANK YOU for your attention