Edwin L. Battistella
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195172485
- eISBN:
- 9780199788187
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195172485.003.0006
- Subject:
- Linguistics, English Language
This chapter discusses attitudes toward regional and ethnic English dialects, and ebonics. It is argued that mainstream perceptions of ethnic, regional, and social dialects often reflect stereotypes ...
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This chapter discusses attitudes toward regional and ethnic English dialects, and ebonics. It is argued that mainstream perceptions of ethnic, regional, and social dialects often reflect stereotypes about the intelligence and industriousness of dialect speakers. These perceptions also reflect assumptions about dialects creating communication barriers and having negative economic consequences. The dominant viewpoint advocates assimilation to an idealized Standard English rather than accommodation of mainstream discourse to bidialectism and vernacular discourse.Less
This chapter discusses attitudes toward regional and ethnic English dialects, and ebonics. It is argued that mainstream perceptions of ethnic, regional, and social dialects often reflect stereotypes about the intelligence and industriousness of dialect speakers. These perceptions also reflect assumptions about dialects creating communication barriers and having negative economic consequences. The dominant viewpoint advocates assimilation to an idealized Standard English rather than accommodation of mainstream discourse to bidialectism and vernacular discourse.
DAVID BERESFORD-JONES and PAUL HEGGARTY
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780197265031
- eISBN:
- 9780191754142
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265031.003.0003
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, American History: pre-Columbian BCE to 500CE
This chapter proposes a new and more coherent interdisciplinary prehistory of the Andes, based firstly on a long overdue re-examination of the relationships between the various regional ‘dialects’ ...
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This chapter proposes a new and more coherent interdisciplinary prehistory of the Andes, based firstly on a long overdue re-examination of the relationships between the various regional ‘dialects’ within the Quechua language family; and secondly on a more satisfactory correlation with the archaeological record. The founding principle is that language families necessarily reflect past expansive processes, whose traces should also be clear in the archaeological record. It provides a logic by which to assess correspondences between archaeological and linguistic patterns, on the three levels of when, where, and why particular language expansions occurred. In the Andes, the horizons thus offer the most natural explanations for the major Quechua and Aymara dispersals. With the Incas too late for the time-depth of either family, the Wari Middle Horizon emerges as the most plausible candidate for the first major expansion of Quechua, and not (as per traditional linguistic thinking) of the Aymara family, here tentatively associated with the Early Horizon instead.Less
This chapter proposes a new and more coherent interdisciplinary prehistory of the Andes, based firstly on a long overdue re-examination of the relationships between the various regional ‘dialects’ within the Quechua language family; and secondly on a more satisfactory correlation with the archaeological record. The founding principle is that language families necessarily reflect past expansive processes, whose traces should also be clear in the archaeological record. It provides a logic by which to assess correspondences between archaeological and linguistic patterns, on the three levels of when, where, and why particular language expansions occurred. In the Andes, the horizons thus offer the most natural explanations for the major Quechua and Aymara dispersals. With the Incas too late for the time-depth of either family, the Wari Middle Horizon emerges as the most plausible candidate for the first major expansion of Quechua, and not (as per traditional linguistic thinking) of the Aymara family, here tentatively associated with the Early Horizon instead.
Edwin L. Battistella
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195172485
- eISBN:
- 9780199788187
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195172485.001.0001
- Subject:
- Linguistics, English Language
Are pronunciations such as cawfee and chawklit bad English? Is slang improper? Is it incorrect to mix English and Spanish, as in Yo quiero Taco Bell? Can you write “Who do you trust?” rather than ...
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Are pronunciations such as cawfee and chawklit bad English? Is slang improper? Is it incorrect to mix English and Spanish, as in Yo quiero Taco Bell? Can you write “Who do you trust?” rather than “Whom do you trust?” This book looks at traditional notions of bad language and argues that they are often based in sterile conventionality. Examining grammar and style, cursing, slang, political correctness, regional dialects, ethnic dialects, foreign accents, and language mixing, this book discusses the strong feelings evoked by language variation, from objections to pronunciation, to complaints about bilingual education. It explains the natural desire for uniformity in writing and speaking, and traces the association of mainstream norms to ideas about refinement, intelligence, education, character, national unity, and political values. The book argues that none of these qualities is inherently connected to language. It is tempting but wrong to think of slang, dialects, and nonstandard grammar as simply breaking the rules of good English. Instead, we should view language as made up of alternative forms of orderliness adopted by speakers depending on their purpose. Thus, we can study the structure and context of nonstandard language in order to illuminate and enrich traditional forms of language, and make policy decisions based on an informed engagement.Less
Are pronunciations such as cawfee and chawklit bad English? Is slang improper? Is it incorrect to mix English and Spanish, as in Yo quiero Taco Bell? Can you write “Who do you trust?” rather than “Whom do you trust?” This book looks at traditional notions of bad language and argues that they are often based in sterile conventionality. Examining grammar and style, cursing, slang, political correctness, regional dialects, ethnic dialects, foreign accents, and language mixing, this book discusses the strong feelings evoked by language variation, from objections to pronunciation, to complaints about bilingual education. It explains the natural desire for uniformity in writing and speaking, and traces the association of mainstream norms to ideas about refinement, intelligence, education, character, national unity, and political values. The book argues that none of these qualities is inherently connected to language. It is tempting but wrong to think of slang, dialects, and nonstandard grammar as simply breaking the rules of good English. Instead, we should view language as made up of alternative forms of orderliness adopted by speakers depending on their purpose. Thus, we can study the structure and context of nonstandard language in order to illuminate and enrich traditional forms of language, and make policy decisions based on an informed engagement.
Rob Penhallurick
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780190611040
- eISBN:
- 9780190611071
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190611040.003.0024
- Subject:
- Linguistics, English Language
Teaching the history of the English language (HEL) leads one naturally to talking about its geographical and social diversity—its dialects and varieties and their features. This chapter will address ...
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Teaching the history of the English language (HEL) leads one naturally to talking about its geographical and social diversity—its dialects and varieties and their features. This chapter will address the role of diversity and change within the History of English, focusing especially on regional dialects, and providing specific examples of written and audio resources that can be used in the HEL classroom. In particular, it refers to an introductory undergraduate course on Studying the English Language developed and taught by the author, explaining its rationale, exemplifying its content, and discussing how it can feed into subsequent courses and topics of a degree programme.Less
Teaching the history of the English language (HEL) leads one naturally to talking about its geographical and social diversity—its dialects and varieties and their features. This chapter will address the role of diversity and change within the History of English, focusing especially on regional dialects, and providing specific examples of written and audio resources that can be used in the HEL classroom. In particular, it refers to an introductory undergraduate course on Studying the English Language developed and taught by the author, explaining its rationale, exemplifying its content, and discussing how it can feed into subsequent courses and topics of a degree programme.
