Language choice and appositive structures in written texts in Rwanda

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Gafaranga
Keyword(s):  
Language Choice ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
Practical Issue ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Written Texts ◽  
Concurrent Use ◽  
Language Alternation ◽  
Practical Level

Research in code-switching, undertaken against the backdrop of very negative attitudes towards the concurrent use of two or more languages within the same conversation, has traditionally been geared towards rehabilitating this form of language use. Now that code-switching has been rehabilitated, the research tradition faces an entirely new challenge, namely that of its continued relevance. This book argues that, in order to overcome this challenge, research should aim to describe specific interactional practices involving the use of two or more languages and outlines a methodology for doing so. This chapter illustrates this methodology by means of a specific case study. It describes the language choice practice of translinguistic apposition as observed in written texts in Rwanda. In Rwanda, authors often construct appositive structures in two languages. In turn, this possibility raises a theoretical as well as a practical issue. At the theoretical level language alternation is observed in “highly regulated texts” and, at the practical level, readers are assumed to be competent in all the languages involved. The chapter argues that the first issue does not actually arise as language alternation is oriented to as deviance and the second is resolved by reference to notion of ascribed linguistic competence in context.

Language choice and conversational repair in bilingual interaction

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Gafaranga
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Language Choice ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Additional Resource ◽  
Concurrent Use ◽  
Language Alternation ◽  
Conversational Repair ◽  
Research Questions

Research in code-switching, undertaken against the backdrop of very negative attitudes towards the concurrent use of two or more languages within the same conversation, has traditionally been geared towards rehabilitating this form of language use. Now that code-switching has been rehabilitated, the research tradition faces an entirely new challenge, namely that of its continued relevance. This book argues that, in order to overcome this challenge, research should aim to describe specific interactional practices involving the use of two or more languages and outlines a methodology for doing so. This chapter illustrates this methodology by means of a specific case study. The chapter describes the interactional practice of conversational repair in bilingual interaction. Two research questions are raised: (a) where in the repair sequence can language alternation occur and (b) what does language alternation do when it occurs in repair sequences. It is shown that language alternation interacts with repair organisation in two ways. Either language alternation is the focus of conversational repair or it is an additional resource for the organisation of conversational repair.

Language choice and speech representation in bilingual interaction

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Gafaranga
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Language Choice ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Research Tradition ◽  
Concurrent Use ◽  
Speech Representation

Research in code-switching, undertaken against the backdrop of very negative attitudes towards the concurrent use of two or more languages within the same conversation, has traditionally been geared towards rehabilitating this form of language use. Now that code-switching has been rehabilitated, the research tradition faces an entirely new challenge, namely that of its continued relevance. This book argues that, in order to overcome this challenge, research should aim to describe specific interactional practices involving the use of two or more languages and outlines a methodology for doing so. This chapter illustrates this methodology by means of a specific case study. In the chapter, the interaction practice of speech representation in talk in two languages is described. It is shown that, in talk in two languages, language choice in the interactional site of speech representation follows a three-path map: language choice may be an incidental aspect, it may be as a supportive aspect and it may be the depictive element in speech representation.

Bilingualism as Interactional Practices

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Gafaranga
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Language Choice ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Concurrent Use ◽  
Conversational Repair ◽  
Interactional Functions ◽  
New Research

Research in code-switching, undertaken against the backdrop of very negative attitudes towards the concurrent use of two or more languages within the same conversation, has traditionally been geared towards rehabilitating this form of language use. From being seen as a random phenomenon reflecting the user’s lack of competence, code-switching is currently seen as sign of an advanced level of competence in the languages involved and as serving different interactional functions. However, as a result of its success, the research tradition now faces an entirely new challenge: Where to from here? How can research in code-switching continue to be relevant and interesting now it has largely achieved its original purpose? This books seeks to answer this programmatic question. The author argues that, in order to overcome this challenge, the notion of bilingualism (multilingualism) itself must be redefined. Bilingualism must be seen as consisting of multiple interactional practices. Accordingly, research in bilingualism and in code-switching in particular must aim to describe each of those practices in its own right. In other word, the aim should be an empirically based understanding of the various interactional practices involving the use of two or more languages. In the book, this new research direction is illustrated by means of three case studies: language choice and speech representation in bilingual interaction, language choice and conversational repair in bilingual interaction and language choice and appositive structures in written texts in Rwanda.

Summary and conclusion

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Gafaranga
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Concurrent Use ◽  
Interactional Functions ◽  
New Research

Research in code-switching, undertaken against the backdrop of very negative attitudes towards the concurrent use of two or more languages within the same conversation, has traditionally been geared towards rehabilitating this form of language use. From being seen as a random phenomenon reflecting the user’s lack of competence, code-switching is currently seen as sign of an advanced level of competence in the languages involved and as serving different interactional functions. However, as a result of its success, the research tradition now faces an entirely new challenge: Where to from here? How can research in code-switching continue to be relevant and interesting now it has largely achieved its original purpose? This book has argued that, in order to overcome this challenge, the notion of bilingualism itself must be redefined. Bilingualism must be seen as consisting of diverse interactional practices and be investigated as such. This book has made the case for this new approach, outlined a methodology for investigating bilingualism as interactional practices and illustrated it by means of three case studies. This concluding chapter wraps up the argument and invites other researchers to contribute to this new research direction.

The rehabilitation of code-switching

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Gafaranga
Keyword(s):  
Choice Model ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Interactional Sociolinguistics ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Functional Perspective ◽  
Concurrent Use ◽  
Interactional Functions

Research in code-switching, undertaken against the backdrop of very negative attitudes towards the concurrent use of two or more languages within the same conversation, has traditionally been geared towards rehabilitating this form of language use. From being seen as a random phenomenon reflecting the user’s lack of competence, code-switching is currently seen as sign of an advanced level of competence in the languages involved and as serving different interactional functions. This chapter discusses in some detail the research effort which has led to the rehabilitation of code-switching, with a special focus on studies conducted from a socio-functional perspective. Key paradigms in this perspective are covered, including Gumperz’ interactional sociolinguistics model, Myers-Scotton’s markedness (rational choice) model and Auer’s and Gafaranga’s conversation analytic model of code-switching. In turn, this overview of existing research serves as a context for the challenge the study of code-switching is face with, namely that of its continued relevance.

scholarly journals Language choice, language alternation and code-switching in the Mercator-Hondius Atlas

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-45
Author(s):  
Aleksi Mäkilähde
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Language Choice ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Switching Patterns ◽  
Language Alternation ◽  
Different Types ◽  
First Editions ◽  
Linguistic Approach ◽  
First Time ◽  
Different Parts

The atlas of Gerardus Mercator (Gerard de Cremer), or the Atlas sive cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi et fabricati figura, is one of first modern atlases and one of the most famous of those compiled in the Netherlands. The first (unfinished) edition was published in 1595, but the copperplates were later acquired by Jodocus Hondius (Joost de Hondt) and his business associates. The revised Mercator-Hondius Atlas was published for the first time in 1606 with added maps and texts. The texts printed on verso of the maps were written by Petrus Montanus (Pieter van den Berg), who was a brother-in-law of Hondius and a Latin teacher. Many subsequent editions of the atlas were produced in the years that followed. The first editions were in Latin, but versions in European vernaculars such as French, German and Italian were produced later as well. The present article focuses on the multilingual nature of the Mercator-Hondius Atlas (1613, editio quarta) by discussing language choice, language alternation and code-switching patterns in different parts of the atlas. The dominant language of the descriptive texts is Latin, but there are also switches into many other languages, including Greek (written in Greek script) and several vernaculars. Furthermore, the map pages tend to indicate the names of different types of area (e.g. cities, seas, and oceans) in different languages. The aim of the present article is to provide a preliminary exploration of the possibilities of approaching the atlas with the aid of concepts and ideas derived from modern code-switching studies. I demonstrate how these concepts can be used to describe the language choice patterns in the text and discuss some of the challenges the data poses for a linguistic approach.

scholarly journals Functions and Frequency of Using Code-switching in CLIL Lesson (Case Study, teaching Math (CLIL) in the private school, Tbilisi)

2021 ◽  
pp. 218-231
Author(s):  
Khatuna Buskivadze ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Private School ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Educational Discourse ◽  
Teaching Math ◽  
Case Study Teaching

The aim of the present study is to investigate the sociolinguistic functions and frequency of Teacher’s Code Switching (CS) in the content and language integrated (CLIL) Lesson. Furthermore, our purpose is to reveal students’ and teacher’s attitudes towards teacher’s code-switching in CLIL lesson. After a brief review of the literature concerning CLIL and the issue of code-switching the case study of teaching Math (Educational discourse) in one of the private schools in Tbilisi will be outlined as data, gathered by means of anonymous questionnaires, which were administered among students in the abovementioned Math classes. Moreover, the qualitative research aims to single out the number of teacher’s CS examples and analyze the interview with math’s teacher. The results show that there are 36 cases of teacher using L1 (Georgian) in 10 lessons (9 hours). Math’s teacher’s CS behavior mostly serves (1) the conversational function of interjection; (2) the classroom functions of introducing unfamiliar materials and topics, explaining difficult concepts, maintaining classroom discipline and the structure of the lesson; The teacher and 13 students have negative attitudes towards using only Georgian in teaching Math’s. The higher level of English the students have the more negative is attitude towards using Georgian in the classroom. Although all the students were Georgian, their competence in English is almost as high as in their mother tongue, therefore they consider English as an inseparable part of their identities.

Introduction

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Gafaranga
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Concurrent Use ◽  
Interactional Functions ◽  
New Research ◽  
The Right

Research in code-switching, undertaken against the backdrop of very negative attitudes towards the concurrent use of two or more languages within the same conversation, has traditionally been geared towards rehabilitating this form of language use. From being seen as a random phenomenon reflecting the user’s lack of competence, code-switching is currently seen as sign of an advanced level of competence in the languages involved and as serving different interactional functions. However, as a result of its success, the research tradition now faces an entirely new challenge: Where to from here? How can research in code-switching continue to be relevant and interesting now it has largely achieved its original purpose? This chapter outlines the case for a new direction in research in code-switching, foregrounds the need for mainstreaming bilingualism studies and suggests an inductive perspective, based on Conversation Analysis, as the right methodology for this new research direction. The chapter also outlines the organisation of the book as based on the notion of text as colony.

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