This dissertation analyzes how the concept of the ideal citizen is shaped linguistically and visually in Macedonian textbooks and how this concept changes over time and in concert with changes in society. It is focused particularly on the role of primary education in the transmission of language, identity, and culture as part of the nation-building process. It is concerned with how schools construct linguistic norms in association with the construction of citizenship. The linguistic practices represented in textbooks depict “good language” and thus index also “good citizen.” Textbooks function as part of the broader sets of resources and practices with which education sets out to make citizens and thus they have an important role in shaping young people’s knowledge and feelings about the nation and nation-state, as well as language ideologies and practices. By analyzing the “ideal” citizen represented in a textbook we can begin to discern the goals of the government and society. To this end, I conduct a diachronic analysis of the Macedonian language used in elementary readers at several points from 1945 to 2000 using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. I catalogue and chart the frequency of certain linguistic forms and changes in their usage over time and contextualize these choices and changes within the greater changes of the narratives in the books. I conduct a similar analysis of the visual depictions of identity in these textbooks and the content of the textbooks with respect to notions of identity, nationalism, and other cultural factors.

This dissertation analyzes how the concept of the ideal citizen is shaped linguistically and visually in Macedonian textbooks and how this concept changes over time and in concert with changes in society. It is focused particularly on the role of primary education in the transmission of language, identity, and culture as part of the nation-building process. It is concerned with how schools construct linguistic norms in association with the construction of citizenship. The linguistic practices represented in textbooks depict “good language” and thus index also “good citizen.” Textbooks function as part of the broader sets of resources and practices with which education sets out to make citizens and thus they have an important role in shaping young people’s knowledge and feelings about the nation and nation-state, as well as language ideologies and practices. By analyzing the “ideal” citizen represented in a textbook we can begin to discern the goals of the government and society. To this end, I conduct a diachronic analysis of the Macedonian language used in elementary readers at several points from 1945 to 2000 using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. I catalogue and chart the frequency of certain linguistic forms and changes in their usage over time and contextualize these choices and changes within the greater changes of the narratives in the books. I conduct a similar analysis of the visual depictions of identity in these textbooks and the content of the textbooks with respect to notions of identity, nationalism, and other cultural factors.

No final dos anos 1980 e início dos anos 1990, representantes das pessoas Surdas buscaram espaços sociais nos quais pudessem partilhar a sua língua − Língua Brasileira de Sinais − e as suas experiências. Esse grupo ativista não considera a surdez uma doença, mas sim, definem os "Surdos" como parte de uma cultura caracterizada pelo uso de uma linguagem. Essa é composta por um conjunto de Sinais, repletos de significados constituintes de práticas e performances. A presente tese tem como objetivo compreender como as pessoas se tornam culturalmente Surdas, suas formas de viver e de se relacionar com o mundo não-Surdo. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa etnográfica em Porto Alegre, no período de 2005 a 2007, entre pessoas frequentadoras de dois grupos diferentes: 1. a Sociedade de Surdos do Rio Grande do Sul (SSRS), uma Associação sem fins lucrativos criada pelos Surdos, que compartilham a Língua Brasileira de Sinais (LIBRAS), que além de ser local de sociabilidade caracteriza-se por uma forte atuação política pela causa dos Surdos; e 2) grupo informal de pessoas Surdas que não frequentam a Sociedade de Surdos, mas se reunem semanalmente em situações sociais para interações em diferentes partes da cidade. O processo de tornar-se culturalmente Surdo é apresentado nesse trabalho a partir de quatro eixos: a socialização; a sociabilidade; a Língua de Sinais; e a identidade Surda. A Língua de Sinais, a qual se expressa por meio do corpo, é essencial para a socialização e para a sociabilidade desse grupo minoritário. A prática da língua está implicada na organização política da comunidade Surda e na reinvindicação de sua especificidade. A identidade Surda nesse contexto vincula-se à busca por direitos de igualdade, de acessibilidade, de inclusão e de visibilidade na sociedade maior. Desse modo, a interrelação desses eixos se mostra fundamental para a manutenção da cultura Surda. / In the late 1980s and early 1990s, representatives of the Deaf people sought social spaces in which they could share their language - Brazilian Sign Language - and their experiences. This activist group does not consider deafness a disease, rather defines the "Deaf" as part of a culture characterized by the use of a language. This consists of a set of signs, full of meanings that constitute practices and performances. This dissertation aims to understand how people become culturally Deaf, their ways of living and the relations with the non- Deaf. To this end, it was conducted an ethnographic study in Porto Alegre from 2005 to 2007, among people attending two different groups: 1. Deaf Society of Rio Grande do Sul (SSRS), a non-profit association created by Deaf people, who share the Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS), which besides being a place of sociability is characterized by its strong political role for the Deaf cause; and 2. An informal group of people who does not attend the Deaf Society, but get together in social situations and interactions in different parts of the city. The process of becoming culturally Deaf is presented in this study in relation to four axes: socialization, sociability, Sign Language, Deaf identity. Sign Language, which is expressed through the body, is essential for the socialization and the sociability of the minority group. The practice of the language is implicated in the political organization of the Deaf community and in their claim for specificity. The Deaf identity, in this context, is linked to the quest for equal rights, accessibility, inclusion and visibility in the larger society. Thus, the interrelation between these axes seems to be essential for the maintenance of Deaf culture.

No final dos anos 1980 e início dos anos 1990, representantes das pessoas Surdas buscaram espaços sociais nos quais pudessem partilhar a sua língua − Língua Brasileira de Sinais − e as suas experiências. Esse grupo ativista não considera a surdez uma doença, mas sim, definem os "Surdos" como parte de uma cultura caracterizada pelo uso de uma linguagem. Essa é composta por um conjunto de Sinais, repletos de significados constituintes de práticas e performances. A presente tese tem como objetivo compreender como as pessoas se tornam culturalmente Surdas, suas formas de viver e de se relacionar com o mundo não-Surdo. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa etnográfica em Porto Alegre, no período de 2005 a 2007, entre pessoas frequentadoras de dois grupos diferentes: 1. a Sociedade de Surdos do Rio Grande do Sul (SSRS), uma Associação sem fins lucrativos criada pelos Surdos, que compartilham a Língua Brasileira de Sinais (LIBRAS), que além de ser local de sociabilidade caracteriza-se por uma forte atuação política pela causa dos Surdos; e 2) grupo informal de pessoas Surdas que não frequentam a Sociedade de Surdos, mas se reunem semanalmente em situações sociais para interações em diferentes partes da cidade. O processo de tornar-se culturalmente Surdo é apresentado nesse trabalho a partir de quatro eixos: a socialização; a sociabilidade; a Língua de Sinais; e a identidade Surda. A Língua de Sinais, a qual se expressa por meio do corpo, é essencial para a socialização e para a sociabilidade desse grupo minoritário. A prática da língua está implicada na organização política da comunidade Surda e na reinvindicação de sua especificidade. A identidade Surda nesse contexto vincula-se à busca por direitos de igualdade, de acessibilidade, de inclusão e de visibilidade na sociedade maior. Desse modo, a interrelação desses eixos se mostra fundamental para a manutenção da cultura Surda. / In the late 1980s and early 1990s, representatives of the Deaf people sought social spaces in which they could share their language - Brazilian Sign Language - and their experiences. This activist group does not consider deafness a disease, rather defines the "Deaf" as part of a culture characterized by the use of a language. This consists of a set of signs, full of meanings that constitute practices and performances. This dissertation aims to understand how people become culturally Deaf, their ways of living and the relations with the non- Deaf. To this end, it was conducted an ethnographic study in Porto Alegre from 2005 to 2007, among people attending two different groups: 1. Deaf Society of Rio Grande do Sul (SSRS), a non-profit association created by Deaf people, who share the Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS), which besides being a place of sociability is characterized by its strong political role for the Deaf cause; and 2. An informal group of people who does not attend the Deaf Society, but get together in social situations and interactions in different parts of the city. The process of becoming culturally Deaf is presented in this study in relation to four axes: socialization, sociability, Sign Language, Deaf identity. Sign Language, which is expressed through the body, is essential for the socialization and the sociability of the minority group. The practice of the language is implicated in the political organization of the Deaf community and in their claim for specificity. The Deaf identity, in this context, is linked to the quest for equal rights, accessibility, inclusion and visibility in the larger society. Thus, the interrelation between these axes seems to be essential for the maintenance of Deaf culture.

No final dos anos 1980 e início dos anos 1990, representantes das pessoas Surdas buscaram espaços sociais nos quais pudessem partilhar a sua língua − Língua Brasileira de Sinais − e as suas experiências. Esse grupo ativista não considera a surdez uma doença, mas sim, definem os "Surdos" como parte de uma cultura caracterizada pelo uso de uma linguagem. Essa é composta por um conjunto de Sinais, repletos de significados constituintes de práticas e performances. A presente tese tem como objetivo compreender como as pessoas se tornam culturalmente Surdas, suas formas de viver e de se relacionar com o mundo não-Surdo. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa etnográfica em Porto Alegre, no período de 2005 a 2007, entre pessoas frequentadoras de dois grupos diferentes: 1. a Sociedade de Surdos do Rio Grande do Sul (SSRS), uma Associação sem fins lucrativos criada pelos Surdos, que compartilham a Língua Brasileira de Sinais (LIBRAS), que além de ser local de sociabilidade caracteriza-se por uma forte atuação política pela causa dos Surdos; e 2) grupo informal de pessoas Surdas que não frequentam a Sociedade de Surdos, mas se reunem semanalmente em situações sociais para interações em diferentes partes da cidade. O processo de tornar-se culturalmente Surdo é apresentado nesse trabalho a partir de quatro eixos: a socialização; a sociabilidade; a Língua de Sinais; e a identidade Surda. A Língua de Sinais, a qual se expressa por meio do corpo, é essencial para a socialização e para a sociabilidade desse grupo minoritário. A prática da língua está implicada na organização política da comunidade Surda e na reinvindicação de sua especificidade. A identidade Surda nesse contexto vincula-se à busca por direitos de igualdade, de acessibilidade, de inclusão e de visibilidade na sociedade maior. Desse modo, a interrelação desses eixos se mostra fundamental para a manutenção da cultura Surda. / In the late 1980s and early 1990s, representatives of the Deaf people sought social spaces in which they could share their language - Brazilian Sign Language - and their experiences. This activist group does not consider deafness a disease, rather defines the "Deaf" as part of a culture characterized by the use of a language. This consists of a set of signs, full of meanings that constitute practices and performances. This dissertation aims to understand how people become culturally Deaf, their ways of living and the relations with the non- Deaf. To this end, it was conducted an ethnographic study in Porto Alegre from 2005 to 2007, among people attending two different groups: 1. Deaf Society of Rio Grande do Sul (SSRS), a non-profit association created by Deaf people, who share the Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS), which besides being a place of sociability is characterized by its strong political role for the Deaf cause; and 2. An informal group of people who does not attend the Deaf Society, but get together in social situations and interactions in different parts of the city. The process of becoming culturally Deaf is presented in this study in relation to four axes: socialization, sociability, Sign Language, Deaf identity. Sign Language, which is expressed through the body, is essential for the socialization and the sociability of the minority group. The practice of the language is implicated in the political organization of the Deaf community and in their claim for specificity. The Deaf identity, in this context, is linked to the quest for equal rights, accessibility, inclusion and visibility in the larger society. Thus, the interrelation between these axes seems to be essential for the maintenance of Deaf culture.

This compilation thesis engages with practices that in some way place stakes in the social existence of Övdalsk (also älvdalska, Elfdalian, Övdalian), a marginal form of Scandinavian used mainly in Sweden’s Älvdalen municipality. The practices at hand range from early 20th century descriptive dialectology and contemporary lay-linguistics to language advocacy and language political debate. The four studies focus on the logic by which such practices operate, on the historically produced visions that they bring into play, as well as on the symbolic effects that they have produced. Study I provides a zoomed-out account of the ordering of Övdalsk in Sweden’s linguistic market. Focusing on a relatively recent debate over the institutional regimentation of Övdalsk, it analyses the forms of agreement upon which the exchange in question has come to rest. The contention has mainly developed over the classification of Övdalsk, percolating in the question of whether Övdalsk ‘is’ a ‘language’ or a ‘dialect’. Analysing this debate, the study takes interest in the relationship between state power and metapragmatic exchange. Study II deals with the history of linguistic thought and research on Övdalsk. It analyses the genesis of some durable visions of the relationship between Övdalsk and linguistic authenticity, focusing on the research practice of the Swedish dialectologist Lars Levander (1883–1950), whose work on Övdalsk commands representative authority to this day. By engaging with Levander’s techniques of scholarly objectivation, as well as with their language theoretical fundaments, the study seeks to create some perspectives on, and distance to, the canonical representations of Övdalsk that have precipitated from Levander’s research. Study III looks into the reuse and reordering of such representations. It provides an ethnographic account of a metapragmatically saturated exchange over Övdalsk grammar, in which descriptivist artefacts play an important part. Through an analysis of texts, in situ interaction, and interviews, the study seeks to grasp the ways in which textual renditions of grammar interrelate with practically sustained, socially recognized models of language and language use (i.e. registers). Study IV tracks the ways in which such visions of authenticity have been drawn into institutionally and politically invested metapragmatic exchanges. It looks into a process of naming of roads in Älvdalen, in which ideas about the contrast between Swedish and Övdalsk played a central part. In all studies, various visions of Övdalsk authenticity and authentic Övdalsk constitute a central theme. The thesis maintains that such visions must be understood in relation to the practices in which they hold currency. Following Silverstein, this epistemological stance entails an engagement with the dialectic between historical formations and situated exchange. Through this analytical orientation, the studies seek to account for the visions of authenticity that have been at the forefront of various symbolic struggles over Övdalsk. Thus, in addition to their respective analytical accounts, the separate studies seek to add shifting temporal horizons to the superordinate heuristic, combining a deep historical backdrop with accounts of protracted institutional processes and analyses of situated linguistic interaction. Ultimately, this mode of analysis provides an in-depth understanding of the object of inquiry. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted.</p>

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Diploma thesis, which is based on Anna Wierzbicka's natural semantic metalanguage theory, discusses certain specific features of Czech language worldview and compares them with specific features of English language worldview. This intercultural comparison is made possible by the cultural neutrality of the natural semantic metalanguage which serves as a language in which explications of analyzed words are formulated and compared to their English counterparts. Analyses of Czech keywords are based mainly on the use of dictionaries (explanatory and etymological dictionaries and dictionaries of phrases and idioms) and Czech corpora. The analysis aims to show differences between Czech and English cultural norms and values as reflected in different semantic structures of analyzed concepts, which presumably indicate deeper differences in perceiving and interpreting reality in both languages.

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This dissertation examines effects of globalization on language, identity, and education through the case of four Korean jogi yuhak (early study abroad) students attending Toronto high schools. Resulting from a 2.4-year sociolinguistic ethnography on the language learning experiences of these students, the thesis explores how globalization--and the commodification of language and corporatization of education in the new economy, in particular--has transformed ideas of language, bilingualism, and language learning with respect to the transnational circulation of linguistic and symbolic resources in today‘s world. This thesis incorporates insights from critical social theories, linguistic anthropology, globalization studies, and sociolinguistics, and aims to propose a "globalization sensitive" Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theory. To better grasp the ways in which language learning is socially and politically embedded in new conditions generated by globalization, this new SLA theory conceives of language as a set of resources and bilingualism as a social construct, and examines language learning as an economic activity, shaped through encounters with the transnational language education industry. The analysis examines new transnational subjectivities of yuhaksaeng (visa students), which index hybrid identities that are simultaneously global and Korean. In their construction of themselves as "Cools" who are wealthy and cosmopolitan, yuhaksaeng deployed newly-valued varieties of Korean language and culture as resources in the globalized new economy. This practice, however, resulted in limits to their acquisition of forms of English capital valued in the Canadian market. As a Korean middle class strategy for acquiring valuable forms of English capital, jogi yuhak is caught in tension: while the ideology of language as a skill and capital to help an individual‘s social mobility drives the jogi yuhak movement, the essentialist ideology of "authentic" English makes it impossible for Koreans to work it to their advantage. The thesis argues that in multilingual societies, ethnic/racial/linguistic minorities‘ limited access to the acquisition of linguistic competence is produced by existing inequality, rather than their limited linguistic proficiency contributing to their marginal position. To counter naturalized social inequality seemingly linguistic in nature, language education in globalization should move away from essentialism toward process- and practice-oriented approaches to language, community, and identity.