This study draws on previous research (e.g., Labov, 1969; Carranza & Ryan, 1975; Brennan & Brennan, 1981; Alford & Strother, 1990) which has revealed and confirmed the many language stereotypes and biases in existence in the United States The present study differs from earlier investigations in that it specifically addresses the current-day attitudes of American English speakers toward a selection of accents that include both native (U.S. regional) and nonnative (foreign or ethnic) accents of English. / The purpose of the present study was to determine the evaluative reactions of an American-born audience toward accented English speech. Fifty-three American college students listened to an audio recording of eight accented English speakers, four representing regional U.S. accent groups and four representing ethnic or foreign accent groups. The students' evaluative reactions indicated favoritism toward the American English speakers with a consistent downgrading of the ethnic speakers. Analysis of the personality ratings suggests that participants based their judgments to some extent on their perceptions of the accented speakers in terms of three dimensions: appeal, accommodation and aspiration. The conceptual affinity of these three dimensions and the subsequent revelation of three-dimensional model of "absolute accommodation" are discussed. / This exploratory study clearly implies a need for further research, particularly into educational programs or interventions aimed at countering the negative attitudes and stereotypes associated with language variety.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this thesis was to investigate language in public spaces, specifically looking at language choices in two IsiXhosa speaking communities, namely Langa and Khayelitsha. The thesis, therefore, sought to determine why the two communities, which are inhabited largely by L1 IsiXhosa speakers, appear to be dominated by English and Afrikaans in public areas, with minimal presence of IsiXhosa. Possible contributors to the perceived language shift in public spaces include local entrepreneurs, the media (two community newspapers), the government (in their offices and advertisements) and the linguistic landscape itself (formal and informal language usage). The communities of Langa and Khayelitsha are both identified as previously disadvantaged communities with large parts of its population being less affluent due to limited educational opportunities, unemployment and a general lack of skills. A questionnaire, administered to 100 inhabitants of Langa and Khayelitsha, provided data on the perceptions of language use in public spaces in these communities as well as participants’ preferences with regard to language use in public spaces. This study provides evidence that the language use in public spaces in these two communities is not fully diverse and inclusive as it only targets individuals who either have advance formal education or are at least reasonably comfortable with English and Afrikaans. Examples of formal and informal signage examined, such as advertisements, government notices and community-related notices, show that the language used is that of the advertisers or officials, who are typically non-speakers of IsiXhosa, and not that of the target market for which the content is intended. The language preferences of the designers of the signage in public spaces are thus foregrounded at the cost of, and in spite of, the language preferences of those who live within the communities of Langa and Khayelitsha. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis het beoog om taal in publieke ruimtes te ondersoek deur spesifiek te kyk na taalkeuse in twee Xhosa-sprekende gemeenskappe, naamlik Langa en Khayelitsha. Die tesis het dus gepoog om vas te stel waarom hierdie twee gemeenskappe wat grootendeels Xhosaeerstetaalsprekend is, grootliks deur Engels en Afrikaans in publieke ruimtes bedien word met minimale isiXhosa teenwoordigheid. Van die rolspelers wat tot hierdie tipe taalverskuiwing in openbare ruimtes kon bygedra het, sluit in plaaslike entrepeneurs, die media (twee gemeenskapnuusblaaie), die regering (in hulle kantore en advertensies) asook die taallandskap self (formele en informele taalgebruik). Die gemeenskappe van Langa en Khayelitsha word albei geïdentifiseer asvoorheenbenadeelde gemeenskappe met die meerderheid van die inwoners minder gegoed as gevolg van beperkte opvoedkundige geleenthede, werkloosheid en 'n algemene gebrek aan vaardighede. ‘n Vraelys wat deur 100 inwoners van Langa en Khayelitsha ingevul is, het data voorsien oor die persepsies van taalgebruik in openbare ruimtes in hierdie gemeenskappe, sowel as oor deelnemrs se voorkeure met betrekking tot taalgebruik in openbare ruimtes. Hierdie studie bied getuienis dat die taalgebruik in hierdie twee gemeenskappe nie ten volle divers en inklusief is nie, aangesien dit slegs taalgebruikers teiken wat beduidende formele opleiding het en wat ten minste redelik met Afrikaans en Engels bekend is. Voorbeelde van formele en informele kennisgewings, soos advertensies, regeringsinligting en gemeenskapsaketoon aan dat die taalgebruik eerder die adverteerders of amptenare wat nié Xhosa-sprekend is nie, in ag neem, as die teikenmark op wie die inhoud eintlik gemik is. Die taalvoorkeure van die ontwerpers van openbare kennisgewings kry dus voorkeur bo, en ten spyte van die taalvoorkeure van diegene wat binne die gemeenskappe van Langa en Khayelitsha leef.

M.Litt. et Phil. / The primary aim of this study is to describe a language form used by homosexuals, specifically the homosexual language as spoken by Afrikaans homosexuals. Secondarily the aim is to compile a gay lexicon with words derived from this research. A further underlying aim of this study is to establish the lexical item gay as an Afrikaans lemma. Gay as such has up to now only appeared in one Afrikaans dictionary (HAT 1994), although it appears frequently in colloquial Afrikaans language, Afrikaans printed media as well as the spoken media. Gay language is well established and recognised in countries such as America and the Netherlands. They have even compiled dictionaries for the use of gay language. In Afrikaans we have dictionaries for several forms of slang and jargon and even short lists of words compiled by researchers for gay words, but still no dictionary for Afrikaans gay language. This study aims at being a first step in creating a dictionary for gay terms. The effeminisation practised by homosexuals features strongly in their use of language and reflects in the frequent use of gender swopping. A further characteristic of gay language is the use of female names and pronouns. This study analyses the influence of the gay reality on their use of language. In order to describe the language spoken by Afrikaans gays, this study explains terms such as slang, jargon and register and then categorises Afrikaans gay language accordingly. Etymologically some gay words can be traced, but not many. The practice of gay language is an ever-changing one, which is characteristic of any spoken form of language. Therefore, the list of gay terms with which the study concludes, will have to be updated frequently. The field of gay language leaves itself wide open for further research, especially with regards to the quantitative measurement of voice pitches and voice patterns. A study done in the Cape region would also assist in giving a broader perspective into the existence of gay language as influenced by dialect.

No description available.

If we define language fluency as more than simply a way of speaking, but also a way of thinking, acting, and being, then we enter a conversation of language as ‘Discourse’ that was sparked by James Paul Gee. This conversation invokes discrete designations of Discourse as home-based, school-based, dominant, and non-dominant. These designations reveal divisions between Discourses that are believed to manifest themselves in the identity formation of ‘language-minority students:’ those whose home Discourse is non-dominant. The dominant Discourse that these students encounter in school generates two documented paths: Richard Hoggart’s scholarship boy and Herbert Kohl’s not-learner; both paths reflect the limited agency of these students within academia. In order to counteract this delimiting of student agency, this project proposes a progressive shift towards a post-modern conception of identity formation; this can be accomplished by opening the Composition classroom to student authored, non-traditional, ‘hybridized’ Discourses. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.

The proposed study explores the experiences of nonnative speakers when they interact with native speakers in conflict situations. The aim of the study is to test if nonnative speakers experience stereotype threat when interacting with native speakers in conflict situations and, if so, to examine how stereotype threat affects their regulatory focus, conflict behaviors, and outcomes. A serial mediation model with three mediators (stereotype threat, regulatory focus, conflict behaviors) will be tested. This study contributes to the field of organizational psychology and conflict studies by 1) extending stereotype threat literature and examining nonnative speakers as a social identity group that experiences stereotype threat, 2) exploring the effects of stereotype threat in a conflict context, and 3) extending workforce diversity literature and examining language diversity in relation to conflict-related behaviors and outcomes in organizational settings. The findings from the proposed study offer insights into understanding the effects of language diversity on conflict dynamics within the increasingly globalized, multi-cultural world of organizations.

published_or_final_version / Language Studies / Master / Master of Arts

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Esta pesquisa questiona o caráter patológico atribuído às manifestações lingüísticas, na clínica fonoaudiológica, considerandoas manifestações em que são expressos valores, hábitos, comportamentos e diferentes modos de vida de diferentes grupos sociais geradores de experiência. Sendo assim, objetiva diferenciar os desvios fonológicos das variações lingüísticas. Para tanto, busca caracterizar o contexto sócio-cultural dos pacientes, investigar o tipo de desvio no qual eles foram enquadrados pela clínica e, ainda, analisar se essas manifestações na fala têm causa relacionada à organização lingüística ou se são manifestações lingüísticas historicamente construídas. Foram registradas sessões terapêuticas de quatro crianças, com desvios fonológicos, da Clínica Manoel de Freitas Limeira, da Universidade Católica de Pernambuco (UNICAP). A partir das transcrições, foram analisadas as manifestações consideradas patológicas, na fala, buscando diferenciar os desvios das manifestações lingüístico-históricas. A análise dos dados levou em consideração não apenas a classificação convencional da fonoaudiologia em relação aos desvios fonológicos, mas, também, os aspectos históricos e evolutivos da língua portuguesa, a partir da perspectiva de Coutinho (1976). De acordo com a proposta deste estudo, os resultados apontam para uma estreita relação entre variações lingüísticas e desvios fonológicos, confirmando o papel social da linguagem e a importância da historicidade para a compreensão dos processos envolvidos na aquisição e nos desvios fonológicos. Ao mesmo tempo, aponta para a necessidade de repensar, na clínica fonoaudiológica, o conceito de desvios e os critérios adotados para a avaliação, diagnóstico e planejamento terapêutico. A maior contribuição está em discutir e oferecer alternativas para a superação do preconceito lingüístico, destacando o compromisso da clínica fonoaudiológica com a inclusão social / This research discusses about the language manifestations, not as something pathologic but as expressions of values, habits, behaviors and different ways of living of different social groups, producers of experience. It purposes to observe differences between the linguistic variations and the phonological disorders. This study has the intention to characterize the patients partner-cultural context, to investigate their kind of language disorder and, also, to analyze if these manifestations, in the speech, have any cause related to the linguistic organization or if they are historical manifestations. The speech therapy sessions, of four patients, with phonological disorders, from the Clínica Manoel de Freitas Limeira were recorded. Through the transcriptions, the speech manifestations, considered pathological, were analyzed, with the objective of to differing the phonological disorders from the historical and linguistic manifestations. The analysis considered the speech therapy conventional classification, about the phonological disorders and the historical aspects from the portuguese language evidenced by Coutinho (1976). According to this proposal, the results indicate a narrow relation between the linguistic variations and the phonological disorders, ratifying the language social function and the importance of historicity for the understanding of the processes involved in the language acquisition and in the phonological disorders. At the same time, this research points to the necessity of rethinking about the phonological disorders conception and the standards adopted to the evaluation, the diagnosis and the therapy plan. The most important contribution is the discussion and the offering of alternatives to surpass the linguistic preconception, standing out the commitment between the speech therapys clinic and the social inclusion

A elevação variável da vogal média anterior átona /e/, como em cidade::cidadi, segunda::sigunda e me chama::mi chama, foi investigada, na fala de 32 informantes de Flores da Cunha (RS), por meio de análise quantitativa, nos moldes da Teoria da Variação Linguística, de Labov (1994, 2008 [1972]), e por meio de análise qualitativa, nos moldes da Teoria da Variação como Prática Social, de Eckert (2000). Houve aplicação da regra de elevação em 50,7% dos 25708 contextos obtidos. As variáveis controladas – Presença de coda na sílaba, Presença de onset na sílaba, Vogal da Sílaba Seguinte, Posição de /e/ na palavra, Contexto fonológico precedente, Contexto fonológico seguinte, Gênero, Idade e Local de residência – foram consideradas significativas pelo programa GoldvarbX, usado na análise estatística. A elevação é condicionada favoravelmente pelos fatores sílaba sem onset, sílaba com coda, vogal alta na sílaba seguinte, vogal /e/ em clítico, consoante velar ou zero em contexto precedente, vogal ou zero em contexto seguinte, zona urbana e idade entre 18 e 30 anos. Sendo os jovens os introdutores da regra de elevação na comunidade, o fenômeno caracteriza-se como mudança linguística em progresso. Para verificar em que medida as práticas sociais desses jovens estão relacionadas a seus índices de elevação de /e/, foi realizada análise de conteúdo (BARDIN, 2000; FREITAS; JANISSEK, 2000) de entrevistas de oito jovens florenses. Essa análise revelou que os jovens que adotam práticas sociais tradicionais, ligadas à história da imigração italiana, têm frequência de aplicação da regra menor do que aqueles que se engajam em práticas inovadoras. Enquanto que as práticas tradicionais orientam-se para a vida na comunidade, as inovadoras orientam-se para fora da comunidade. Os jovens que desejam permanecer na localidade elevam menos a vogal /e/, ao passo que aqueles que desejam dela sair, a fim de adequar-se ao modo de falar mais corrente em outras regiões brasileiras, passam a aplicar a regra de elevação com mais frequência. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2015-09-30T14:26:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Natalia Brambatti Guzzo.pdf: 6386152 bytes, checksum: 1899166e04dfc0e94a7bdcad4f74c853 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-09-30T14:26:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Natalia Brambatti Guzzo.pdf: 6386152 bytes, checksum: 1899166e04dfc0e94a7bdcad4f74c853 (MD5) / The variable raising of the unstressed mid front vowel /e/, in contexts such as cidade::cidadi (city), segunda::sigunda (second) and me chama::mi chama (call me), was studied in the speech of 32 informants from Flores da Cunha (RS, Brazil). The process was analyzed quantitatively, according to Labov’s (1994, 2008 [1972]) Theory of Language Variation, and qualitatively, according to Eckert’s (2000) Theory of Language Variation as Social Practice. 25708 contexts were obtained, and the variable rule – the raising of /e/ – was applied in 50,7% of them. All of the controlled variables – Syllable with coda, Syllable with onset, Type of vowel of the following syllable, Position of /e/ in the word, Preceding phonological context, Following phonological context, Gender, Age and Place of living – were considered to be significant by the statistic program GoldvarbX. The raising of /e/ is favorably conditioned by the factors syllable without onset, syllable with coda, high vowel in the following syllable, /e/ in clitics, preceding velar consonant or no preceding context, following vowel or no following context, informants who live in the city (not in the rural areas) and age between 18 and 30 years old. Since young people are introducing the raising of /e/ in the community, this phenomenon may be considered change in progress. In order to verify how the social practices of young people are related to the raising, a content analysis was performed (BARDIN, 2000; FREITAS; JANISSEK, 2000), based on the speech of eight people from Flores da Cunha whose ages ranged from 18 to 30 years old. The content analysis revealed that young people who adopt traditional social practices which are linked to the history of Italian immigration apply the variable rule less frequently than those who engage in innovative practices. Traditional practices are oriented to life inside the community, whereas innovative practices are oriented to life outside the community. Young people who wish to remain in the community do not raise /e/ as often as those who wish to leave the place; young people who want to leave the community tend to apply the rule more frequently in order to fit in with the pronunciation that is more usual in other Brazilian regions.

Esta dissertação trata de code-switching e footing na sitcom estadunidense Friends. Tanto a troca linguística como o posicionamento identitário são elementos de análise da Sociolinguística Interacional (GOFFMAN, 1981; HUDSON, 1996; DURANTI, 1997), que é a teoria basilar desta investigação. Não somente aspectos teóricos desse arcabouço são utilizados como também estudos sobre humor (RASKIN, 1979; WRIGHT, 1875), sitcom (FURQUIM, 1999; SAVORELLI, 2010; VANDAELE, 1996), multimodalidade (GOODWIN, 2010; KRESS; LEEUWEN, 1996; VIEIRA; SILVESTRE, 2015), estereótipos (LAKOFF, 1987; SCHIAPPA; GREGG; HEWES, 2005), performance (TURNER, 1987), generalização social (BLUM, 2004), dentre outros. A fim de responder ao problema desta pesquisa, que reside em entender se o code-switching e o footing são mecanismos de geração do humor na sitcom Friends, optamos pelo estudo de caso dessa comédia seriada e pela investigação dos atos comunicativos em que se fazem presentes a alternância de código linguístico e o reposicionamento identitário. O objetivo geral da pesquisa é examinar a relação entre a geração de humor e as situações em que há a presença de code-switching entre Inglês Americano e do Inglês Britânico e de posicionamento entre variedades do Inglês Americano, além de considerar o posicionamento multimodal das interações comunicativas em episódios da sitcom Friends. Os objetivos específicos são (a) identificar os construtos identitários culturais na sitcom Friends, (b) identificar as situações de code-switching na geração de humor, (c) analisar situações de code-switching e aspectos multimodais na interação comunicativa e (d) analisar os efeitos do humor, com ênfase em fatores culturais intervenientes. Com a finalidade de cumprir com esses objetivos, alicerçamos nossa pesquisa, também, nos estudos de framing (GOFFMAN, 1974), que foram identificados nas cenas em que há code-switching e footing, que foram transcritas a partir da simbologia da Análise da Conversa (SACKS; SCHEGLOFF; JEFFERSON, 1974). Os resultados demonstram que, nos episódios da série Friends que foram analisados, o code-switching e o footing são mecanismos potenciais estratégicos de geração de humor que se formam em situações plurais com diversas funções de comicidade, tais como: sátira cultural, caricaturização estereotipada, representação da realidade, dentre outras. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2017-10-25T12:01:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Gilberto Broilo Neto.pdf: 2137616 bytes, checksum: dff4b5374bbd97c9f849d7dd7b3da707 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-25T12:01:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Gilberto Broilo Neto.pdf: 2137616 bytes, checksum: dff4b5374bbd97c9f849d7dd7b3da707 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-10-25 / This dissertation is about code-switching and footing in the north-american sitcom Friends. Both the switch of language and the identity positioning are objects of analysis for the Interactional Sociolinguistics area (GOFFMAN, 1981; HUDSON, 1996; DURANTI, 1997), which is the main theory of this investigation. Not only theoretical aspects of this background are used but also studies about humour (RASKIN, 1979; WRIGHT, 1875), sitcom (FURQUIM, 1999; SAVORELLI, 2010; VANDAELE, 1996), multimodalidality (GOODWIN, 2010; KRESS; LEEUWEN, 1996; VIEIRA; SILVESTRE, 2015), estereotypes (LAKOFF, 1987; SCHIAPPA; GREGG; HEWES, 2005), performance (TURNER, 1987), social generalization (BLUM, 2004), among others. In order to solve the problem of this research, which resides in understanding whether both code-switching and footing are strategies of humour in the sitcom Friends, we opted for the case study of this situational comedy and for the investigation of the communicative acts in which the switch of linguistic codes and identity repositiong are found. The general objective of this research is to examine the connection between humour creation and the situations in which there is evidence of code-switching between American English and British English, positioning between American English varieties and the multimodal positioning of communicative interactions in episodes of the sitcom Friends. The specific objectives are (a) to identify the constructs of cultural identity in the sitcom Friends, (b) to identify the situations of code-switching in the humour generation, (c) to analyse the situations of code-switching and the multimodal aspects of the communicative act and (d) to analyse the effects of humour, highlighting the intervenient cultural aspects related to such effects. In order to fulfill these objectives, we, also, based our research on the studies of framing (GOFFMAN, 1974), which are identified in the scenes of code-switching and footing, being transcribed according to the Conversation Analysis symbolic conventions (SACKS; SCHEGLOFF; JEFFERSON, 1974). The results show that, in the episodes of the series Friends analysed, both code-switching and footing are potential strategic mecanisms to create humour formed in several situations through different comical functions, such as: cultural satire, stereotyped caricature, reality representation, among others.