scholarly journals Linguistic innovation, political centralization and economic integration in the Kongo kingdom

Diachronica ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koen Bostoen ◽  
Gilles-Maurice de Schryver
Keyword(s):  
Economic Integration ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Language Varieties ◽  
Related Language ◽  
The Social ◽  
Linguistic Innovation ◽  
Political Centralization ◽  
African Linguistics ◽  
Insight Into

In this article we reconstruct the actuation and transmission of a phonological innovation known as prefix reduction within the Kikongo language cluster situated in the wider Lower Congo region of Central Africa. We argue that this change spread from a focal area coinciding with the heartland of the Kongo kingdom as a classical process of dialectal diffusion. Thanks to a unique Kikongo corpus that starts in the 17th century, we can provide diachronic empirical evidence for different phases of the process, which has been otherwise difficult, if not impossible, in Bantu historical linguistics. What is more, and also quite exceptional in African linguistics, we have fairly good insight into the ‘social ecology’ of this language change and argue that political centralization and economic integration within the realm of the Kongo kingdom facilitated such a contact-induced diffusion between closely-related language varieties.

Combining Regular Sound Correspondences and Geographic Spread

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena Prokić ◽  
Michael Cysouw
Keyword(s):  
Geographic Variation ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Geographic Spread ◽  
Sufficient Detail ◽  
Related Language ◽  
Sound Changes ◽  
Insight Into

In this paper we combine the geographic variation of closely related language variants (‘dialects’) with the distribution of sound correspondences through the lexicon. One of the central problems with sound correspondences at the dialect level is that they are not very regular, especially when they are investigated in sufficient detail. Sound changes spread both through a language (e.g., from one word to another) and through the population of speakers (in our case through a population of villages with different dialects). Both processes happen at the same time, and the challenge is to reconstruct what has happened from a snapshot of synchronic data. The method described in this paper allows us to track the geographic spread of sound changes and the underlying patterns of linguistic diversity simultaneously. By combining the two, it is possible to detect areas of intensive linguistic contact and gain better insight into the mechanisms of language change.

The “we” vs. “they” distinction in Slovakia Hungarians' discourse

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ildikó Vančo
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Basic Component ◽  
Discourse Processes ◽  
The Social ◽  
Hungarian Language ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractLinguistic differentiation is a basic component of sociocultural differentiation: social processes create the social and linguistic meanings of variants, sometimes also contributing to language change through discourse processes. In addition to being continuously constructed, discourse is in a dialectic relationship with extra-discursive factors and can therefore be studied only when embedded in its social and linguistic contexts (cf. Fairclough 2010: 3–5, Laihonen 2009). In this article I investigate how the notion of “we” occurs in the metalinguistic discourse of Hungarian speakers in Slovakia (with reference to Slovakia Hungarians and their Hungarian language use) (cf. Kontra 2006) in contrast with the notion of “they” (with reference to Hungary Hungarians and their Hungarian language use) in lay speakers' utterances referring to language. The study reported on in this article uses directed interviews and employs discourse analysis to provide insight into the use of “we” vs. “they” and their meanings in the Slovakia Hungarian variety. It also seeks to show how certain expressions become indexical in conceptualizations of identity and how the distinction of “we” vs. “they” is created by language.

scholarly journals Genre-related language change: Discourse- and corpus-linguistic perspectives on Austrian German 1970–2010

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Rheindorf ◽  
Ruth Wodak
Keyword(s):  
Language Change ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Modelling Language ◽  
News Reporting ◽  
Corpus Linguistic ◽  
Related Language ◽  
The Social ◽  
Socially Situated ◽  
And Diffusion

AbstractThe motivation and diffusion of language change have been modelled and discussed in frequently conflicting terms, often focused on an isolated set of features rather than more integrative sociolinguistic concerns. We present a case study of language change in Austrian German along a broad range of lexical, syntactic as well as textual features, approached through a corpus based on genres situated in the pertinent fields of news reporting, education and business. Based on our results, we argue that drawing on ‘genre’ as socially-situated, interactive and goal-oriented patterns of language use provides both a conceptual and empirical framework that may help address some of the more prominent issues in modelling language change: as a concept, it provides a frame within which to grasp the social changes driving language change; as empirical focus, it guides data selection and allows us to describe and explicate complex and seemingly contradictory diffusion patterns.

CHAM MUSLIMS IN HO CHI MINH CITY TODAY

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phu Van Han
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Ho Chi Minh City ◽  
Social Characteristics ◽  
Muslim Community ◽  
The Social ◽  
Insight Into

After more than 30 years of national reform, Ho Chi Minh City has made great changes in economy, living standards and society for all population groups, including the Cham Muslim community. The study clarifies the social characteristics, community development trends in the current sustainable development process of the Cham Muslims. At the same time, explore the adaptability of the community, clarify the aspects of social life and the development of Cham Muslims in Ho Chi Minh City. Thereby, providing insight into a unique cultural lifestyle, harmony between religion and ethnic customs, in a multicultural, colorful city in Ho Chi Minh City today.

Socio-Demographic Factors and Health-Related Behaviors Associated with Gerontology

GIS Business ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 359-370
Author(s):  
Dr. Ravi S. Dalawai
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Work Culture ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Social ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Current Scenario ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors ◽  
Insight Into

Indian population is in growing trend from 942.2 million in 1994 to 1.36 billion in 2019.Among this six per cent of India's population was of the age 65 and above (UNFPA, 2019). Today the work culture is totally changed. Both husband and wife are forced to work in the current scenario and unable to take care of their parents. The changing structure created increased problems for old age people leads to loneliness, psychological, physical health and financial insecurity. The study paper provides insight into the social and demographic factor and health related sickness of the oldest people. This research explained the cross-sectional study included a representative sample (n=116) of adults aged ≥60 years. The sample was chosen using a four-stage stratified random-cluster survey sampling method .The Chi Square test and ANOVA test was analyzed using SPSS20.

South Africa’s Institutions of Higher Learning

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 50-69
Author(s):  
Muhammed Haron
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Religious Studies ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Honors Program ◽  
Islamic Studies ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
The Social ◽  
Regional Universities ◽  
Muslim Communities ◽  
Insight Into

As a discipline, “Islamic studies” has attracted serious attention by a number of institutions of higher learning in predominantly nonMuslim societies. While southern Africa’s communities witnessed the inclusion of “Islam” as a subject in the faculties of theology at various regional universities as well as Christian seminaries, Muslim communities have clamored for the appointment of Muslim staff at universities to teach courses on Islam. On the whole, these educational developments bode well for the teaching and studying of Islam regionally, even though the purpose and objectives for doing so differ radically from one institution to the other. This essay first seeks to offer a brief insight into the teaching of “Islam” as a subject in theological/oriental/religious studies programs; it thereafter reflects upon “Islamic studies” as a social science discipline that has been included in the social science and humanities syllabus. It focuses on the BA Honors program to show the themes chosen for these programs and how scholars redesigned and changed these programs to meet modern needs. Apart from using “social change” as its theoretical framework, it also brings en passantinto view the insider/outsider binary that further frames the debates regarding the teaching and studying of Islam at these institutions in southern Africa generally and South Africa in particular. 

Diversity, Rationality, and the Division of Cognitive Labor

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Muldoon
Keyword(s):  
Social Structure ◽  
Division Of Labor ◽  
Additional Insight ◽  
Division Of Cognitive Labor ◽  
Social Structure Of Science ◽  
The Social ◽  
Insight Into

Existing models of the division of cognitive labor in science assume that scientists have a particular problem they want to solve and can choose between different approaches to solving the problem. In this essay I invert the approach, supposing that scientists have fixed skills and seek problems to solve. This allows for a better explanation of increasing rates of cooperation in science, as well as flows of scientists between fields of inquiry. By increasing the realism of the model, we gain additional insight into the social structure of science and gain the ability to ask new questions about the optimal division of labor.

The Anthropological Lens

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Morton
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Social Accountability ◽  
Political Organization ◽  
Local People ◽  
South Sudanese ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Encounters ◽  
Anthropological Literature ◽  
Insight Into

Sir Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard (1902-1973) is widely considered the most influential British anthropologist of the twentieth century, known to generations of students for his seminal works on South Sudanese ethnography Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic Among the Azande (OUP 1937) and The Nuer (OUP 1940). In these works, now classics in the anthropological literature, Evans-Pritchard broke new ground on questions of rationality, social accountability, kinship, social and political organization, and religion, as well as influentially moving the discipline in Britain away from the natural sciences and towards history. Yet despite much discussion about his theoretical contributions to anthropology, no study has yet explored his fieldwork in detail in order to get a better understanding of its historical contexts, local circumstances or the social encounters out of which it emerged. This book then is just such an exploration, of Evans-Pritchard the fieldworker through the lens of his fieldwork photography. Through an engagement with his photographic archive, and by thinking with it alongside his written ethnographies and other unpublished evidence, the book offers a new insight into the way in which Evans-Pritchard’s theoretical contributions to the discipline were shaped by his fieldwork and the numerous local people in Africa with whom he collaborated. By writing history through field photographs we move back towards the fieldwork experiences, exploring the vivid traces, lived realities and local presences at the heart of the social encounter that formed the basis of Evans-Pritchard’s anthropology.

scholarly journals Polluting pharmaceutical atmospheres: Compulsion, resistance, and symbolism of buprenorphine in Norway

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-285
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Bartoszko
Keyword(s):  
Social History ◽  
Opioid Substitution Treatment ◽  
Ethnographic Fieldwork ◽  
Ethnographic Studies ◽  
Counter Narrative ◽  
The Social ◽  
Institutional Forces ◽  
History Of ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Opioid Substitution

This article offers a counter narrative to the current ethnographic studies on treatment with buprenorphine, in which notions of promised and experienced normality dominate. In some countries, introduction of buprenorphine led to a perceived “normalisation” of opioid substitution treatment, and this new modality was well received. However, in Norway the response has been almost the opposite: patients have reacted with feelings of disenfranchisement, failure, and mistrust. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Norway, this article offers comparative insight into local experiences and subjectivities in the context of the globalisation of buprenorphine. By outlining the ethnographic description of the pharmaceutical atmosphere of forced transfers to buprenorphine-naloxone, I show that the social history of the medication is as significant as its pharmacological qualities for various treatment effects. An analysis of the reactions to this treatment modality highlights the reciprocal shaping of lived experiences and institutional forces surrounding pharmaceutical use in general and opioids in particular.

Language change across a lifetime: A historical micro-perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (s2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Bergs
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Historical Data ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
The Social ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Linguistic Behavior ◽  
Micro Analysis

Abstract This paper focuses on the micro-analysis of historical data, which allows us to investigate language use across the lifetime of individual speakers. Certain concepts, such as social network analysis or communities of practice, put individual speakers and their social embeddedness and dynamicity at the center of attention. This means that intra-speaker variation can be described and analyzed in quite some detail in certain historical data sets. The paper presents some exemplary empirical analyses of the diachronic linguistic behavior of individual speakers/writers in fifteenth to seventeenth century England. It discusses the social factors that influence this behavior, with an emphasis on the methodological and theoretical challenges and opportunities when investigating intra-speaker variation and change.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document