Theoretical aspects of vocabulary variability in American Spanish Diachrony and synchrony Anna Mištinová Abstract As a multinational and multicultural language, the Spanish language offers, despite its unity, a large number of differences on all linguistic planes. This dissertation's subject consists of an examination of fundamental theoretical questions concerning the variation of American Spanish's vocabulary on a diachronous and synchronous level. A diatopic approach in particular is employed with a focus on geographic-linguistic aspects. Based on theories of variation and other general theoretical aspects, an analysis is conducted on the differences and divergences of the lexicon in Hispano-American variations, on the main sources and causes of changes in comparison with European Spanish, on the origin and nature of the language in the early phases of the New World's conquering and the innovative influence of autochthonous substrates and adstrates. Linguistic contacts made in both the past and present occupy a significant place in this examination, and an emphasis is placed on the Spanish - indigenous languages - English triangle. Another area of focus consists of loanwords in Hispanic America, the process of their adaptation and assimilation. Also among the wide range of theoretical questions that this...

This study takes place within a school situated on the north eastern side of Soshanguve, a township to the north of the capital city, Pretoria, also called Tshwane. The school draws most of its learners from an area that started as an informal settlement. Certain parts of this settlement are now well structured and it is gradually becoming a formal settlement. The children who form part of this study are those whose parents have migrated from neighbouring provinces such as Limpopo, North West and Mpumalanga, as well as from neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Owing to this migration, the community around this school is multilingual. Multilingualism has led to phonic, grammatical, semantic and stylistic language interference. This interference has caused language change, which in turn has led to variations that affect the standard form of Sesotho sa Lebowa, the first language of the school. The school selected for this study has achieved very average matriculation results since its establishment in 1994. Although the school generally achieves a 100% pass rate in the subject Sesotho sa Lebowa, marks are generally low despite the fact that the learners are supposedly first language speakers of Sesotho sa Lebowa. The aim of this study is to investigate the reasons for the poor quality of these results. Matriculation results over the past four years attest to the fact that something needs to be done in order to reverse the negative trend of these results. / Linguistics / M.A. (Sociolinguistics)

The aim of the study is to provide an account of the present state of Portuguese in the Johannesburg Portuguese community, and to identify factors influencing the maintenance of, and shift from the mother tongue. South African society necessitates a knowledge and daily use of English, and sometimes Afrikaans. Literacy and proficiency in the Portuguese mother tongue is therefore rapidly decreasing, especially amongst the third generation. Despite this decline, certain factors play a role in maintaining Portuguese. The most important factors in the maintenance of the mother tongue are education, cultural activities, contact with Portugal, parental influence and positive attitudes. If measures are not taken, and an awareness created within the community of the need to create a situation of stable bilingualism, the Portuguese language will continue to be eroded. / 0 objectivo desta tese e analisar o nivel actual da lingua portuguesa, na comunidade Portuguesa em Joanesburgo, e identificar os factores que influenciam a manutenc;ao e ou o afastamento da lingua materna. A sociedade sul-africana necessita de urn conhecimento diario da lingua inglesa e, par vezes da lingua afrikaans. Por conseguinte, a capacidade de ler e escrever fluentemente na lingua portuguesa esta rapidamente a desaparecer, especialmente na 3a gerac;ao. Apesar deste declinio, existem ainda determinados factores que contribuem para a sobrevivencia da lingua portuguesa na comunidade. Os factores mais importantes sao: a educac;ao, as actividades culturais, o contacto com Portugal, a influencia familiar - atitudes positivas tomadas pela propria comunidade. Se nao forem criadas medidas pelos portugueses, que garantam a consciencializac; ao da lingua materna e urn determinado bilinguismo, a lingua portuguesa acasani par desaparecer na Africa do Sul. / Linguistics / M.A. (Linguistics)

Esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida na comunidade lingüística ítalo-brasileira de Nova Pádua, situada Nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul, fundada em 1885 por imigrantes italianos. Esse grupo etnolingüístico convive com uma situação de línguas em contato e bilingüismo. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar atitudes lingüísticas dos bilíngües em relação aos sistemas de fala utilizados pelo grupo étnico-social: a língua portuguesa standard, o dialeto italiano (Coiné) e a variedade de fala de língua portuguesa local. A investigação partiu do pressuposto de que os bilíngües adotam atitudes positivas ou negativas, de prestígio ou estigma, em relação às variedades lingüísticas. Além disso, pressupõe-se que o comportamento dos bilíngües é regulado por valores atribuídos às línguas. Os resultados mostraram uma gama de valores positivos e negativos atribuídos e percebidos nas variedades lingüísticas, e esses valores orientam o uso dessas variedades. Não só a avaliação positiva ou negativa orienta o comportamento lingüístico dos bilíngües, mas também fatores extralingüísticos como situações de interação formal ou informal e a solidariedade ao interlocutor. Inesperadamente, a pesquisa mostrou um conflito de valores e de identidade lingüísticos entre os participantes da amostra. Esse conflito revelou-se na contradição existente nos juízos de valor atribuídos às variedades lingüísticas, nas duas situações de avaliação propostas pela pesquisa. Na primeira, em que o falante seria uma terceira pessoa e não o sujeito da pesquisa, o dialeto italiano é o sistema de fala de maior prestígio, e a língua portuguesa standard, a língua de menor prestígio. As atitudes positivas em relação ao dialeto italiano ou dialeto vêneto (Coiné) apontam para uma ligação afetiva entre o sentimento étnico italiano e a identidade lingüística da amostra. Contraditoriamente, para uma situação interpessoal, em domínios usuais como: casa, Capela, escola, em que o próprio bilíngüe deveria falar, os valores divergiram. Isto é, os sistemas de fala de língua portuguesa, local e standard, receberam maior prestígio do que o dialeto italiano. Essas atitudes foram justificadas, entre outros motivos, pela necessidade de domínio da língua portuguesa, pela solidariedade ao interlocutor e pelo reconhecimento de uma forma lingüística de língua portuguesa local, língua portuguesa com marcas italianas. Dessa forma, os dados mostraram que a identidade lingüística italiana é mais idealizada e/ou nostálgica do que real. Em contrapartida, parece surgir um latente reconhecimento de uma prática lingüística ítalo-brasileira local. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-05-12T16:34:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Mirian Peccatti Toscan.pdf: 3947798 bytes, checksum: a5d257f3d33157c295cb83d4aebe92a3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-12T16:34:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Mirian Peccatti Toscan.pdf: 3947798 bytes, checksum: a5d257f3d33157c295cb83d4aebe92a3 (MD5) / This reasearch was developed in an Italo-Brazilian linguistics community of Nova Pádua, located in the northeast of Rio grande do Sul, which was founded in 1885 by Italian imigrants. This etnolinguisitcs group lives with a situation of bilinguism and languages in contact with each other. The aim of our work was to investigate the linguistics attitudes of the bilingual speakers in relation to the used speaking systems by the ethnic-social: the standard Portuguese language, the Italian dialect (Coiné) and the variety of the local speaking Portuguese language. The investigation began with the presupposition that bilingual speakers have positive or negative attitudes, prestige or stigma, in relation to the linguistics varieties. Besides this, we presupposed that bilingual speakers behaviour is measured by the values given to the languages. The results showed a series of positive and negative values related and perceived in the linguistics varieties. Not just the positive and negative evaluation guides the linguistics behaviour of bilingual speakers, but also extra-linguistics factors as a formal interation situation or the speaker s solidarity. Surprisingly, the research showed a conflict of values and linguistics identity in the sample. This conflict was revealed in the contradiction of the values judgement given to the linguistics varieties in the two evaluation proposals suggested by the research. In the first proposal, where the speaker is a third person, not the one belong to the research, the Italian dialect is the speaking system of the greatest prestige and the standard Portuguese language, the language of minor prestige. The positive attitudes in relation to the Italian dialect direct to an afective link between the Italian ethnic feeling and the sample s linguistic identity. Contradictorily, for an interpersonal situation, in usual dominions as house, school, chapel where the own bilingual should speak, the values differ. It means that the regional and standard Portuguese language speaking systems receive more prestige than the Italian dialect. Among other aspects, these attitudes were justified by the necessity of the Portuguese language dominium, by the speakers solidarity and by the recognition of a linguistics form of a local Portuguese language, Portuguese with Italian marks. By all these, the dates showed that the Italian linguistics identity is more idealized and/or nostalgic than real.On the other side, it seems appearing a latent recognition of a local Italo-Brazilian linguistcs practice.

This study takes place within a school situated on the north eastern side of Soshanguve, a township to the north of the capital city, Pretoria, also called Tshwane. The school draws most of its learners from an area that started as an informal settlement. Certain parts of this settlement are now well structured and it is gradually becoming a formal settlement. The children who form part of this study are those whose parents have migrated from neighbouring provinces such as Limpopo, North West and Mpumalanga, as well as from neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Owing to this migration, the community around this school is multilingual. Multilingualism has led to phonic, grammatical, semantic and stylistic language interference. This interference has caused language change, which in turn has led to variations that affect the standard form of Sesotho sa Lebowa, the first language of the school. The school selected for this study has achieved very average matriculation results since its establishment in 1994. Although the school generally achieves a 100% pass rate in the subject Sesotho sa Lebowa, marks are generally low despite the fact that the learners are supposedly first language speakers of Sesotho sa Lebowa. The aim of this study is to investigate the reasons for the poor quality of these results. Matriculation results over the past four years attest to the fact that something needs to be done in order to reverse the negative trend of these results. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Sociolinguistics)

The aim of the study is to provide an account of the present state of Portuguese in the Johannesburg Portuguese community, and to identify factors influencing the maintenance of, and shift from the mother tongue. South African society necessitates a knowledge and daily use of English, and sometimes Afrikaans. Literacy and proficiency in the Portuguese mother tongue is therefore rapidly decreasing, especially amongst the third generation. Despite this decline, certain factors play a role in maintaining Portuguese. The most important factors in the maintenance of the mother tongue are education, cultural activities, contact with Portugal, parental influence and positive attitudes. If measures are not taken, and an awareness created within the community of the need to create a situation of stable bilingualism, the Portuguese language will continue to be eroded. / 0 objectivo desta tese e analisar o nivel actual da lingua portuguesa, na comunidade Portuguesa em Joanesburgo, e identificar os factores que influenciam a manutenc;ao e ou o afastamento da lingua materna. A sociedade sul-africana necessita de urn conhecimento diario da lingua inglesa e, par vezes da lingua afrikaans. Por conseguinte, a capacidade de ler e escrever fluentemente na lingua portuguesa esta rapidamente a desaparecer, especialmente na 3a gerac;ao. Apesar deste declinio, existem ainda determinados factores que contribuem para a sobrevivencia da lingua portuguesa na comunidade. Os factores mais importantes sao: a educac;ao, as actividades culturais, o contacto com Portugal, a influencia familiar - atitudes positivas tomadas pela propria comunidade. Se nao forem criadas medidas pelos portugueses, que garantam a consciencializac; ao da lingua materna e urn determinado bilinguismo, a lingua portuguesa acasani par desaparecer na Africa do Sul. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Linguistics)

Esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida na comunidade lingüística ítalo-brasileira de Nova Pádua, situada Nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul, fundada em 1885 por imigrantes italianos. Esse grupo etnolingüístico convive com uma situação de línguas em contato e bilingüismo. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar atitudes lingüísticas dos bilíngües em relação aos sistemas de fala utilizados pelo grupo étnico-social: a língua portuguesa standard, o dialeto italiano (Coiné) e a variedade de fala de língua portuguesa local. A investigação partiu do pressuposto de que os bilíngües adotam atitudes positivas ou negativas, de prestígio ou estigma, em relação às variedades lingüísticas. Além disso, pressupõe-se que o comportamento dos bilíngües é regulado por valores atribuídos às línguas. Os resultados mostraram uma gama de valores positivos e negativos atribuídos e percebidos nas variedades lingüísticas, e esses valores orientam o uso dessas variedades. Não só a avaliação positiva ou negativa orienta o comportamento lingüístico dos bilíngües, mas também fatores extralingüísticos como situações de interação formal ou informal e a solidariedade ao interlocutor. Inesperadamente, a pesquisa mostrou um conflito de valores e de identidade lingüísticos entre os participantes da amostra. Esse conflito revelou-se na contradição existente nos juízos de valor atribuídos às variedades lingüísticas, nas duas situações de avaliação propostas pela pesquisa. Na primeira, em que o falante seria uma terceira pessoa e não o sujeito da pesquisa, o dialeto italiano é o sistema de fala de maior prestígio, e a língua portuguesa standard, a língua de menor prestígio. As atitudes positivas em relação ao dialeto italiano ou dialeto vêneto (Coiné) apontam para uma ligação afetiva entre o sentimento étnico italiano e a identidade lingüística da amostra. Contraditoriamente, para uma situação interpessoal, em domínios usuais como: casa, Capela, escola, em que o próprio bilíngüe deveria falar, os valores divergiram. Isto é, os sistemas de fala de língua portuguesa, local e standard, receberam maior prestígio do que o dialeto italiano. Essas atitudes foram justificadas, entre outros motivos, pela necessidade de domínio da língua portuguesa, pela solidariedade ao interlocutor e pelo reconhecimento de uma forma lingüística de língua portuguesa local, língua portuguesa com marcas italianas. Dessa forma, os dados mostraram que a identidade lingüística italiana é mais idealizada e/ou nostálgica do que real. Em contrapartida, parece surgir um latente reconhecimento de uma prática lingüística ítalo-brasileira local. / This reasearch was developed in an Italo-Brazilian linguistics community of Nova Pádua, located in the northeast of Rio grande do Sul, which was founded in 1885 by Italian imigrants. This etnolinguisitcs group lives with a situation of bilinguism and languages in contact with each other. The aim of our work was to investigate the linguistics attitudes of the bilingual speakers in relation to the used speaking systems by the ethnic-social: the standard Portuguese language, the Italian dialect (Coiné) and the variety of the local speaking Portuguese language. The investigation began with the presupposition that bilingual speakers have positive or negative attitudes, prestige or stigma, in relation to the linguistics varieties. Besides this, we presupposed that bilingual speakers behaviour is measured by the values given to the languages. The results showed a series of positive and negative values related and perceived in the linguistics varieties. Not just the positive and negative evaluation guides the linguistics behaviour of bilingual speakers, but also extra-linguistics factors as a formal interation situation or the speaker s solidarity. Surprisingly, the research showed a conflict of values and linguistics identity in the sample. This conflict was revealed in the contradiction of the values judgement given to the linguistics varieties in the two evaluation proposals suggested by the research. In the first proposal, where the speaker is a third person, not the one belong to the research, the Italian dialect is the speaking system of the greatest prestige and the standard Portuguese language, the language of minor prestige. The positive attitudes in relation to the Italian dialect direct to an afective link between the Italian ethnic feeling and the sample s linguistic identity. Contradictorily, for an interpersonal situation, in usual dominions as house, school, chapel where the own bilingual should speak, the values differ. It means that the regional and standard Portuguese language speaking systems receive more prestige than the Italian dialect. Among other aspects, these attitudes were justified by the necessity of the Portuguese language dominium, by the speakers solidarity and by the recognition of a linguistics form of a local Portuguese language, Portuguese with Italian marks. By all these, the dates showed that the Italian linguistics identity is more idealized and/or nostalgic than real.On the other side, it seems appearing a latent recognition of a local Italo-Brazilian linguistcs practice.

[pt] O estudo se ocupa em investigar como são realizadas interações entre alunos surdos e ouvintes e professor ouvinte em um curso de Graduação de Letras-Libras, em que se faz uso da Libras, do Português e de outras formas de linguagem, incluindo a alternância e sobreposição modal de códigos. A pesquisa se justifica pelo recente e crescente contingente de surdos jovens e adultos que ingressam no ensino superior no Brasil, fenômeno do contexto socio educacional de transição, no bojo das transformações socioculturais e históricas iniciadas especialmente a partir do reconhecimento e regulamentação do uso da Libras pela Lei 10.436 de 2002 e do Decreto 5.626 de 2005. Em termos teóricos, o estudo busca articular conceitos da Sociolinguística Interacional, da Análise da Conversa em contexto institucional e de Línguas em Contato na interação, na ordem micro e macro, na relação com os Estudos Surdos. A metodologia da pesquisa é qualitativa e interpretativa, com gravação de dados mediante método etnográfico de investigação. Foram gravadas e analisadas sete interações em sete aulas diferentes em que o pesquisador atuou como professor. É importante destacar, nas convenções de transcrição, a discussão sobre a necessidade de se adequar os modelos de convenções existentes em língua oral e língua de sinais às especificidades da fala em interação com surdos e ouvintes em um contexto bi/multilíngue, com línguas em contato. A partir da discussão, foi proposto um novo modelo de convenções de transcrição, para língua oral e língua de sinais, com foco na interação. Na análise dos dados, emergiram práticas comunicativas de caráter transidiomático que fazem parte dos repertórios linguísticos dos interagentes. Foram estabelecidos dois capítulos, a partir de sete interações. O primeiro desses capítulos, de número 4, tem foco nas interações 1 e 3, e foi dedicado principalmente aos enquadres com foco na entrada dos alunos no curso Letras-Libras. Os resultados indicam que os alunos constroem identidades a partir do foco no outro e no grupo. Apontam também expectativas profissionais dos alunos em relação às opções do curso. Os resultados do segundo capítulo de análise, o capítulo 5, a partir das interações 2, 4, 5, 6 e 7, indicaram, sobretudo, as relações coconstruídas entre professor e alunos surdos e ouvintes em práticas transidiomáticas que imprimiram o caráter bi/multilíngue da sala de aula. Evidenciaram diferenças na propensão para a adesão ao enquadre institucional pelos alunos, com relações de negociação de conflito e a busca de afirmação linguística entre eles, e co construção de conhecimento entre professor e alunos. Embora o professor, enquanto representante institucional, tenha escolhido Libras como língua de instrução, nos dados analisados, as línguas em contato na sala de aula indicaram práticas multilíngues dos alunos, com o uso de Libras, Português e outras formas de linguagem misturadas. A pesquisa mostra-se importante para gerar reflexões sobre como os alunos percebem a sua entrada em um Curso Letras-Libras e como professor e alunos entendem o que está acontecendo no aqui e agora desta sala de aula, em um contexto socio educacional em construção, que se mostrou multilíngue, na transição em reconhecimento dos sujeitos surdos como minoria linguística. / [en] The study is concerned about investigating how interactions between deaf and hearing students and hearing teacher are carried out in an undergraduate course where Libras, Portuguese and other forms of language are used, including code-switching and code-blending. The research is justified by the recent and growing contingent of deaf youngsters and adults who enter higher education in Brazil, a phenomenon of the socio-economic context of transition, in the context of socio-cultural and historical transformations, initiated especially with the recognition and regulation of the use of Libras by Federal Law 10,436 in 2002 and by the Federal Decree 5,626 in 2005. In theoretical terms, the study seeks to articulate concepts of Interaction Sociolinguistics, Conversation Analysis in an institutional context, and Languages in Contact in interaction, on the micro and macro levels, as they pertain to Deaf Studies. The methodology of the research is qualitative and interpretative, with data recording employing an ethnographic research method. Seven interactions were recorded and analyzed in seven different classes in which ones the researcher has acted as teacher. It is important to highlight, in the conventions of transcription, the discussion about the need to adapt the existing models of conventions in oral and sign language to the specificities of speech in interaction with deaf and hearing people in a multilingual context, with languages in contact. From the discussion, a new model of conventions of transcription was proposed, for oral language and sign language, with a focus on interaction. In the data analysis, transidiomatic practices emerged as communicative repertoires of the participants. Two chapters were established, from seven interactions. The first of these chapters, chapter 4, focusing on interactions 1 and 3, was mainly devoted to students frames, with a focus on the entry in the Letras-Libras Course. The results indicate that students construct self-identities out of the focus on other students and of the groups themselves. They also point out the student s professional expectations regarding course options. The results of chapter 5, from interactions 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7, indicated, above all, the co-constructed relationships in the classroom between teacher and deaf and hearing students into transidiomatic practices that that have produced the bi-multilingual character of the classroom. They showed differences among students in propensity to adhering to the institutional frames, with conflicting relationships and the search for linguistic affirmation among the students, as well as co-construction of knowledge between teacher and students. Although the teacher, as an institutional representative, had chosen Libras as the language of instruction, in the data analyzed, the languages in contact in the classroom indicated multilingual practices on the part of the students, who used Libras, Portuguese and other mixed forms of language. The research suggests the necessity to generate reflections on how students perceive the entry into a Letras-Libras Course and how the teacher and students understand what is happening in the here and now of this undergraduate classroom in a socio-educational context under construction, which proved to be multilingual in the transition in recognition of deaf subjects as a linguistic minority.

The initial purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital. This was seen as a microcosm of the language situation in urban South Africa. As such, this study set out to identify problems and offer suggestions in resolving the difficulties experienced in communication in this hospital as well as in other medical institutions in the rest of the country. Before attempting such an investigation, a sound theoretical framework had to be established. In order to gain familiarity with the research field, concepts on sociolinguistics had to be researched and described. In order to apply particular concepts to the situation under investigation, the concepts had to be defined and interpreted first. This study has made a contribution to the theoretical debate regarding various sociolinguistic concepts, in that it has shown how these concepts apply to the South African situation. The next step in the research process involved making a decision about which method would be most appropriate for collecting data. Therefore, various approaches were investigated in order to find the appropriate one. The techniques of data collection and the recruitment of respondents had to be refined before the main data collection process could begin. Then began the journey of discovery. The detailed description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital presented in chapter 3 forms the crux of this study. This is the first time that such a comprehensive, qualitative description of the entire language situation in this hospital has been done. An appropriate method for data analysis had to be devised. This entailed various levels of analysis and interpretation. A description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital would have been incomplete without presenting a few of the various scenarios that took place in this hospital. Many important conclusions were reached during the course of the research. The most important of these were: 1. A huge communication problem exists at Baragwanath Hospital. 2. Either interpreters will have to be hired to overcome this problem; or nurses will have to be paid more for their interpreting services. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil.

The initial purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital. This was seen as a microcosm of the language situation in urban South Africa. As such, this study set out to identify problems and offer suggestions in resolving the difficulties experienced in communication in this hospital as well as in other medical institutions in the rest of the country. Before attempting such an investigation, a sound theoretical framework had to be established. In order to gain familiarity with the research field, concepts on sociolinguistics had to be researched and described. In order to apply particular concepts to the situation under investigation, the concepts had to be defined and interpreted first. This study has made a contribution to the theoretical debate regarding various sociolinguistic concepts, in that it has shown how these concepts apply to the South African situation. The next step in the research process involved making a decision about which method would be most appropriate for collecting data. Therefore, various approaches were investigated in order to find the appropriate one. The techniques of data collection and the recruitment of respondents had to be refined before the main data collection process could begin. Then began the journey of discovery. The detailed description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital presented in chapter 3 forms the crux of this study. This is the first time that such a comprehensive, qualitative description of the entire language situation in this hospital has been done. An appropriate method for data analysis had to be devised. This entailed various levels of analysis and interpretation. A description of the language situation at Baragwanath Hospital would have been incomplete without presenting a few of the various scenarios that took place in this hospital. Many important conclusions were reached during the course of the research. The most important of these were: 1. A huge communication problem exists at Baragwanath Hospital. 2. Either interpreters will have to be hired to overcome this problem; or nurses will have to be paid more for their interpreting services. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil.