Components of the Term Vernacular One View 1

Components of the Term Vernacular One View 1 a. Uncodified or unstandardized variety 1 b. Acquired in the home, as a first variety 1 c. Used for relatively circumscribed functions Holmes, Janet. 2013. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 4 th edition. London: Pearson, p. 77. 1/21

Components of the Term Vernacular Four Alternate Views 2. Any non-official language of a country 3. Any minority language of a country 4. The most colloquial variety in a person's linguistic repertoire 5. Language of everyday communication Holmes, Janet. 2013. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 4 th edition. London: Pearson, p. 77. 2/21

Standard Languages 1 “A standard variety is generally one which is written has undergone some degree of regularization or codification is recognized as a prestigious variety or code by a community is used for H functions alongside a diversity of L varieties. ” Holmes, Janet. 2013. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 4 th edition. London: Pearson, pp. 78 -79. 3/21

Standard Languages 2 “This is a very general definition and it immediately excludes most of the world's four or five thousand languages. Only a minority of the world's languages are written, and an even smaller minority are standardized in the sense of codified and accepted by the community as suitable formal functions. ” Holmes, Janet. 2013. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 4 th edition. London: Pearson, pp. 78 -79. 4/21

Standard Languages 3 “A standard dialect has no particular linguistic merits, whether in vocabulary, grammar or pronunciation. It is simply the dialect of those who are politically powerful and socially prestigious. ” Holmes, Janet. 2013. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 4 th edition. London: Pearson, p. 79. 5/21

Lingua Francas “language of wider communication” “A lingua franca is a language used for communication between people whose first languages differ. ” “More generally, however, the term lingua franca describes a language serving as a regular means of communication between different linguistic groups in a multilingual speech community. ” Holmes, Janet. 2013. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 4 th edition. London: Pearson, pp. 82 -83. 6/21

Lingua Francas Tanzania: Papua New Guinea: former USSR: Arabic-speaking world: East Africa: West Africa: Swahili Tok Pisin Russian Classical Arabic Swahili Hausa China: Mandarin Holmes, Janet. 2013. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 4 th edition. London: Pearson, p. 84. 7/21

Identifying Characteristics of a Pidgin Language 1. It is used in restricted domains and functions 2. It has a simplified structure and limited vocabulary compared to the source languages 3. It generally has low prestige and attracts negative attitudes—especially from outsiders Holmes, Janet. 2008. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 3 rd edition. London: Longman, pp. 85 -86. 8/21: 3

Simplified Comparison of Pidgins and Creoles Native Speakers Functions Domains Vocabulary Morphology Structure Solidarity Prestige Pidgin none limited restricted small none/little irregular no no Creole* yes unlimited unrestricted rich expanded regularized yes/can *This Creole is a fully developed one. Holmes, Janet. 2008. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 3 rd edition. London: Longman, pp. 83 -94. 9/21

African American English 1 Phonology r-deletion guard l-deletion toll (NOT unique to AAE = NU) god (some speakers) toe Consonant cluster simplification (NU) passed pass Fromkin, Victoria and Robert Rodman. 1998. An Introduction to Language, 6 th edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, pp. 412 -414. 10/21: 6

African American English 2 Neutralization of [ ] and [ ] before nasals (NU) pin pen Loss of interdental fricatives (NU) thing fing this, that, these, those [d] Fromkin, Victoria and Robert Rodman. 1998. An Introduction to Language, 6 th edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, pp. 412 -414. 11/21: 4

African American English 3 Syntax Double negatives (NOT unique to AAE) He don’t know nothing. Deletion of ‘be’ SAE He is / He’s nice They are / They’re mine AAE He nice They mine Fromkin, Victoria and Robert Rodman. 1998. An Introduction to Language, 6 th edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, pp. 414 -417. 12/21

African American English 4 Habitual ‘be’ John be happy. John is always happy. John happy. John is happy now. He be late. He is habitually late. He is late this time. Fromkin, Victoria and Robert Rodman. 1998. An Introduction to Language, 6 th edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, pp. 414 -417. 13/21

African American English 5 Vocabulary NOTHING in FR&H (some of it may NOT be unique to AAE) Fromkin, Victoria and Robert Rodman. 1998. An Introduction to Language, 6 th edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, pp. 412 -417. 14/21

Multiple Negation Holmes, Janet. 2001. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 2 nd edition. London: Longman, p. 178. 15/21

History of Jamaican Creole 1 Late 17 th century British settlers raising sugarcane Slaves imported CONTACT Language—pidgin arose (English vocabulary; simplified syntax; African influences in pronunciation, maybe 10% of the vocabulary, and some syntax) Montgomery, Martin. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society, 2 nd edition. London: Routledge, pp. 82 -83. 16/21

History of Jamaican Creole 2 Subsequent generations of slaves learned this language (used with masters and fellow slaves) Evolved, "transformed into a much more complex and flexible language called a creole (defined technically as a pidgin which becomes the first language of a group)" (p. 83) Montgomery, Martin. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society, 2 nd edition. London: Routledge, pp. 82 -83. 17/21

Standard English and Jamaican Creole 1 Plurals Past time Standard English Jamaican Creole the other girls di addah girl dem with those other girls wid dem addah girl I went yesterday mi go yeside I told you so already me tel yu so aredi I had already walked home mi ben waak huom aredi have finished sleeping mi 2 nddon sliip Montgomery, Martin. 1995. An. I Introduction to Language and Society, edition. London: Routledge, p. 84. 18/21

Standard English and Jamaican Creole 2 Standard English Present what are you doing yah? Jamaican Creole whey you a dhu out there? where are you going? whey you a go? Possession the man’s hat di man hat the man’s woman di man woman didn’t like this noh like dis Montgomery, Martin. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society, 2 nd edition. London: 19/21 Routledge, p. 84.

Jamaican Creole Continuum Broadest Creole Standard English 20/21

Schematic of Hypothetical Repertoires Broadest Creole Speaker | 1 2 3 4 5 Standard English | The horizontal length of the line represents the breadth of the speaker's repertoire. Based on Martin Montgomery. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society, 2 nd 21/21 edition. London: Routledge, pp. 85.