‘Broken English’, ‘dialect’ or ‘Bahamianese’?

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 362-394
Author(s):  
Alexander Laube ◽  
Janina Rothmund
Keyword(s):  
Rating Scales ◽  
Language Attitudes ◽  
Current Status ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Direct Question ◽  
Non Local ◽  
English Dialect ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
Informal Settings ◽  
Question Formats

Abstract The study investigates language attitudes in The Bahamas, addressing the current status of the local creole in society as well as attitudinal indicators of endonormative reorientation and stabilization. At the heart of the study is a verbal guise test which investigates covert language attitudes among educated Bahamians, mostly current and former university students; this was supplemented by a selection of acceptance rating scales and other direct question formats. The research instrument was specifically designed to look into the complex relationships between Bahamian Creole and local as well as non-local accents of standard English and to test associated solidarity and status effects in informal settings. The results show that the situation in The Bahamas mirrors what is found for other creole-speaking Caribbean countries in that the local vernacular continues to be ‘the language of solidarity, national identity, emotion and humour, and Standard the language of education, religion, and officialdom’ (Youssef 2004: 44). Notably, the study also finds that standard Bahamian English outranks the other metropolitan standards with regard to status traits, suggesting an increase in endonormativity.

scholarly journals Language Attitudes Studies Between the Past and the Present: The Current State of Research in the Arab World and Within the Saudi Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Abdullah Abdulrahman Bin Towairesh
Keyword(s):  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Language Attitudes ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Guest Workers ◽  
Current State ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
French And English ◽  
Workplace Inequality ◽  
State Of Research

Language attitudes studies are integral to our understanding of language-society dynamics, specifically in regions where linguistic diversity can create issues connected to social structure and social cohesion. The field of language attitudes studies heavily impacts research in areas such as language planning and policy, education and workplace inequality, and cultural discrimination. Thus, it is important to have a work that presents an overview of the most important notions and concepts in this field, with a specific focus on topics such as defining language attitudes, the components of an attitude, and the different methods of measuring it. This paper aims at providing this overview in addition to assessing the current status of language attitudes studies in the Arab world and outlining the challenges and opportunities for researchers in this field. One of the significant characteristics of language attitudes research in this region is the lack of studies that focus on the inequality dimension. Many studies in this region have opted to investigate the Standard-Spoken dichotomy and the attitudes of speakers toward foreign languages such as French and English. Researching issues such as the attitudes toward other Arabic varieties and toward migrant guest workers’ use of pidgins remains limited in the Arab context. Factors such as cultural rivalry and national pride may represent some of the obstacles in the path of conducting broader studies in the field of language attitudes in this region.

The Influence of Response Lines on Response Behavior in the Context of Open-Question Formats

2007 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Spörrle ◽  
Beatrice Gerber-Braun ◽  
Friedrich Försterling
Keyword(s):  
Rating Scales ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Response Behavior ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Response Quality ◽  
Constant Increase ◽  
Open Question ◽  
Question Formats ◽  
Formal Features

Research on questionnaire design has shown that respondents take a questionnaire’s formal aspects into account when formulating their answers to closed-ended questions (e.g., rating scales, multiple-choice questions). As similar research on open-response questions has been scanty, the objective of this study was to investigate the systematic influence of formal features of open-response questions on response behavior. Specifically, in two studies using different topics of opinion, we examined how the responses to open-ended questions vary as a function of the number of lines provided for the response. In both studies, increasing the number of response lines resulted in a constant increase in response length (quantity). It also resulted in an increase in the number of arguments in a response (quality) when only a few response lines were provided, which plateaued when many lines were provided. Overall, these results demonstrate that formal features of open-response questions implicitly communicate the expected quantity and quality of the answer.

The Emerging Domestic Cruise Industry

1987 ◽  
Vol 24 (01) ◽  
pp. 26-42
Author(s):  
John H. Leeper ◽  
John W. Boylston
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Open Market ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Cruise Industry ◽  
Cruise Ships ◽  
Time Availability ◽  
New Construction ◽  
Tax Deductions ◽  
The U.S

The U.S. market, with its high per-capita income, generous leisure time availability, and open market entry, has become the world's most lucrative market for ocen cruising. Cruise ships sailing from the United States serve six distinct markets: the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, and inland/coastal. With the exception of the Alaska and inland/coastal markets, the trade is served almost exclusively by foreign-flag vessels. The Jones Act, which restricts passenger service between consecutive U.S. ports to U.S.-flag vessels, together with the increased popularity for ocean cruising, has created a demand for U.S.-built/U.S.-manned cruise vessels that can operate in the inland/coastal market. Also, legislation allowing tax deductions for business conventions held aboard U.S.-flag vessels, coupled with a soft market for U.S. new construction and U.S. seagoing labor, has culminated in the potential for an internationally competitive U.S.-flag cruise industry. This paper reviews the current status of the U.S.-flag cruise industry, its operating environment, the rules and regulations that govern its operation, and its probable future.

Attitudes toward accents of Mandarin in Singapore

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael Hui-Hui Chong ◽  
Ying-Ying Tan
Keyword(s):  
Immigration Policy ◽  
Language Attitudes ◽  
Open Door ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Foreign Accents ◽  
Non Local ◽  
Sizeable Number ◽  
The Prestige

Like many other countries, Singapore has seen some public tension fermenting over what is sometimes perceived as the government’s generous open-door immigration policy. Some Singaporeans appear to have taken to regarding themselves as rightful “natives” by distinguishing between local and foreign accents (see Jacobs 2012; Oon 2012). With a sizeable number of foreigners hailing from China, do Singaporeans have negative attitudes toward non-local Chinese accents because of these ‘anti-foreigner’ sentiments? This paper examines the language attitudes of Chinese Singaporeans towards speakers of Mandarin from three locales: Beijing, Taiwan and Singapore. It describes an attitudinal test using the verbal guise technique, comparing the attitudes of 100 Singaporean Chinese youths toward the Beijing, Taiwanese and Singaporean accents of Mandarin along the dimensions of prestige and solidarity. This study shows that there are distinct differences in the ways in which the three accents are perceived by Singaporeans. However, contrary to expectations, the foreign accents are not discriminated against, but are in fact ranked more favourably as compared to the local accent. Ultimately, functionality and economic goals of advancement seem to override other socio-cultural aims of the nation as Singaporeans focus on the prestige that the foreign Chinese accents can bring them.

scholarly journals Central Banks Digital Currency: Detection of Optimal Countries for the Implementation of a CBDC and the Implication for Payment Industry Open Innovation

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Sergio Luis Náñez Alonso ◽  
Javier Jorge-Vazquez ◽  
Ricardo Francisco Reier Forradellas
Keyword(s):  
Central Bank ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Bivariate Correlation ◽  
Kendall Correlation ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Optimal Area ◽  
Sea Area ◽  
Positive Results

This article analyzes the current situation of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), which are digital currencies backed by a central bank. It introduces their current status, and how several countries and currency areas are considering their implementation, following in the footsteps of the Bahamas (which has already implemented them in its territory), China (which has already completed two pilot tests) and Uruguay (which has completed a pilot test). First, the sample of potential candidate countries for establishing a CBDC was selected. Second, the motives for implementing a CBDC were collected, and variables were assigned to these motives. Once the two previous steps had been completed, bivariate correlation statistical methods were applied (Pearson, Spearman and Kendall correlation), obtaining a sample of the countries with the highest correlation with the Bahamas, China, and Uruguay. The results obtained show that the Baltic Sea area (Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland) is configured within Europe as an optimal area for implementing a CBDC. In South America, Uruguay (already included in the comparison) and Brazil show very positive results. In the case of Asia, together with China, Malaysia also shows a high correlation with the three pioneer countries, and finally, on the African continent, South Africa is the country that stands out as the most optimal area for implementing a CBDC.

An analysis of the current status and language endangerment of the Kucong language at Shuitang Township in Xinping County

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liu Jinrong ◽  
Zhang Qi
Keyword(s):  
Language Attitudes ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Word Comprehension ◽  
Language Endangerment ◽  
Comprehension Test ◽  
Different Ages

In Jiuha Village Cluster, Shuitang Township, Xinping County there are Yi, Han, Dai and Kucong groups; the Yi population is the majority, and many Yi people still speak their language. Sanchagou Village in Jiuha Village Cluster is a Kucong village surrounded by Yi and Han people; the Kucong people are turning gradually to Chinese and Nisu Yi languages. In 2002, although Kucong language was fading away, there were still many people using it for communication. In October 2014, we conducted follow-up research by comparing the original recording of 2000 words, and analyzing the result of a 400-word comprehension test with people of different ages, as well as a questionnaire about their language attitudes. We found that the Kucong language is being replaced by Chinese. Fewer than 10 villagers can speak Kucong language fluently and they are all between the ages of 70 and 86.

Measuring language attitudes in context: Exploring the potential of the Personalized Implicit Association Test

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-461
Author(s):  
Laura Rosseel ◽  
Dirk Speelman ◽  
Dirk Geeraerts
Keyword(s):  
Implicit Association Test ◽  
Language Attitudes ◽  
Association Test ◽  
Implicit Association ◽  
Explicit Attitudes ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Implicit Measurement ◽  
Attitude Research ◽  
Language Attitude ◽  
Informal Settings

AbstractAfter decades of relative methodological stagnation, language attitude research is witnessing an influx of new experimental methods originally developed in social psychology. One such measure is the Personalized Implicit Association Test (P-IAT), a reaction-time-based method that measures the association between two concepts. The P-IAT has been used successfully to measure language attitudes, yet presents a number of challenges, like the fact that it measures attitudes void of linguistic or interactional context. This article aims to address that challenge and introduces a contextualized version of the P-IAT, which was used alongside an explicit measurement to explore attitudes towards varieties of Dutch in formal vs. informal settings. While the explicit attitudes show the expected pattern of preference for the standard variety in formal contexts, results from the implicit measurement are not as clear-cut. We discuss potential explanations for these findings and reflect on consequences for future sociolinguistic research using the P-IAT. (Personalized Implicit Association Test (P-IAT), context dependence of language attitudes, sociolinguistics)*

scholarly journals (Mis)Measuring Sensitive Attitudes with the List Experiment

2019 ◽  
Vol 83 (S1) ◽  
pp. 236-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Kramon ◽  
Keith Weghorst
Keyword(s):  
Political Violence ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Standard Procedure ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Attitudes And Behaviors ◽  
Direct Question ◽  
List Experiment ◽  
Question Formats ◽  
Standard List

Abstract List experiments (LEs) are an increasingly popular survey research tool for measuring sensitive attitudes and behaviors. However, there is evidence that list experiments sometimes produce unreasonable estimates. Why do list experiments “fail,” and how can the performance of the list experiment be improved? Using evidence from Kenya, we hypothesize that the length and complexity of the LE format make them costlier for respondents to complete and thus prone to comprehension and reporting errors. First, we show that list experiments encounter difficulties with simple, nonsensitive lists about food consumption and daily activities: over 40 percent of respondents provide inconsistent responses between list experiment and direct question formats. These errors are concentrated among less numerate and less educated respondents, offering evidence that the errors are driven by the complexity and difficulty of list experiments. Second, we examine list experiments measuring attitudes about political violence. The standard list experiment reveals lower rates of support for political violence compared to simply asking directly about this sensitive attitude, which we interpret as list experiment breakdown. We evaluate two modifications to the list experiment designed to reduce its complexity: private tabulation and cartoon visual aids. Both modifications greatly enhance list experiment performance, especially among respondent subgroups where the standard procedure is most problematic. The paper makes two key contributions: (1) showing that techniques such as the list experiment, which have promise for reducing response bias, can introduce different forms of error associated with question complexity and difficulty; and (2) demonstrating the effectiveness of easy-to-implement solutions to the problem.

Language attitudes by university students in mainland China

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 345-368
Author(s):  
Binmei Liu ◽  
Pengpeng Feng ◽  
Qingtao Feng ◽  
Jihong Li ◽  
Yuping Li
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Language Attitudes ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Small City ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Non Local ◽  
Second Tier ◽  
Local Students

Abstract Through a questionnaire survey of non-local university students, this study examined direct language attitudes of English, Putonghua, and local dialects in the first-tier city Guangzhou, second-tier city Tianjin, and small city Yan’an. The significance of this study lies in two aspects: few of the previous studies examined language attitudes of non-local subjects; few of the previous studies compared attitudes toward three varieties across economically diverse cities. The study adopted Gardner & Lambert’s (1972) motivation theory to measure direct attitudes of the participants. Findings included that non-local students showed positive attitudes toward Cantonese both integratively and instrumentally but not toward the Tianjin and Yan’an dialects. Furthermore, students had positive integrative and instrumental attitudes toward Putonghua in all three cities. Finally, they showed high and positive integrative and instrumental attitudes toward English, with the means of Guangzhou and Tianjin higher than those of Yan’an. Future research should incorporate qualitative measures to provide a deeper understanding of language attitudes.

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