This thesis analyzes the sociolinguistic situations in postcolonial Latin America and francophone North Africa (the Maghreb) through a comparative lens. Specifically, it examines the ways in which Spain and France’s differing colonial agendas and language ideologies affected the relationships between colonizer and colonized, and, by extension, the role that Spanish and French play(ed) in these regions after decolonization. Finally, it explores how Spain and France’s contemporary discourses frame colonial participation in the two languages’ development, and the psychological effects these ideologies have had on the formerly colonized.

This thesis examines how men and women as co-interactants in management meetings use various interactional mechanisms to play out their roles and identities, as they position their ideas in a particular way for intended meaning and effect. The study aims to demonstrate how a particular approach to the examination of naturalistic data, gathered through the use of a case study design, based on recordings and supported by a number of ethnographic strategies can, when examined and informed by conversation analysis, pragmatics and more indirectly critical discourse analysis, generate further insights into the semantic and pragmatic meanings of utterances. The study focuses on four companies in postcolonial Zimbabwe, where the entry of women into senior management positions has changed the complexion of most organisations, but men continue to be the fundamental power brokers in the corporate workplace, which remains a site of social struggle where language, power and gender are important variables. This study finds that while perceptions of power may not vary significantly between men and women, how they use language to play out this power in meetings is of significance. The study suggests that gender-linked communication styles are reflected in management of talk in areas of influence, such as the corporate boardroom. It also shows that men and women, irrespective of their levels of position power or perceived power, present themselves in meetings in different ways, possibly due to gender-role socialisation processes. Apart from generating some new insights regarding theory and research methodology, and describing and interpreting male-female interaction in an under-researched domain (management meetings in a Zimbabwean corporate setting at a time of major socio-economic transformation), it is hoped that this study will also be of value at an applicational level: serving for instance to support applied linguistic goals such as the development of Language for Specific Purposes courses; and conscientising corporate citizens, in particular, to be more accommodating about, and appreciative of differences in communication styles that may be gender-based. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D.Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

no abstract available / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Sociolinguistics)

An immense degree of linguistic diversity exists in the work force where it is possible for speakers of twenty-three home languages to come into contact on the work floor. The language of management in industry is predominantly English; while supervisors are primarily English- or Afrikaans-speaking. Misinterpretation of speaker intent plays a significant role in communication breakdown that occurs when management or foremen/supervisors communicate directly with workers who do not understand the two erstwhile official languages sufficiently or not at all. Reagan ( 1 986) hypothesized that the greatest number of problems are caused by what might be termed mutual ignorance, rather than by language difficulties. The aim of the thesis was therefore to establish what constitutes the mutual ignorance that leads to misinterpretation of speaker intent. The Hymesian model, the ethnography of speaking, was used as a model for an analysis of sociolinguistic features in factories in the Pretoria-WitwatersrandVereeniging area. For data collection a process of triangulation was used and qualitative and quantitative methods used. The Free Attitude Interview technique was used for unstructured interviews. Other methods include observation, and elicitation procedures such as the Discourse Completion Test, which were used in structured interviews. Language preference, forms of address and politeness markers were examined. Findings revealed that the major differences were found to be in the area of non-verbal behaviour. Speakers of Afrikaans and English are, on the whole, unaware of politeness markers used by speakers of African languages. Afrikaans and English speakers are unaware of offensive non-verbal behaviour used by them. It is revealing that speakers of the official languages believe this to be the very area that makes communication possible, but it is the area in which they may cause offence. It was also found that speakers of African languages have adopted many of the features of the power dominant group at work. The findings of the research are important for the development of strategies for overcoming misinterpretation of speaker intent and negative stereotyping. This research was undertaken as part of the Human Sciences Research Council's programme entitled Language in the labour situation. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D.Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

Text in Afrikaans / In this dissertation the ideology behind the debate on the position of Standard Afrikaans in the new, multilinguistic South African dispensation with eleven official languages is examined from a psycholinguistic perspective. The study concentrates on how ideology and power played and are still playing a role in the formation of the variety Standard Afrikaans. The study points out how historical and present-day philosophical, social and language-political considerations influenced the natural development of Afrikaans by advancing it in respect of status on the one hand and prejudicing it in respect of lexicon and corpus on the other hand. The mutual bond of Afrikaans and English as Germanic languages and the inherently hybrid nature of Afrikaans are highlighted. The study points out the artificial role of Eurocentrism and the ideal of "pure language" on perceptions and myths about Afrikaans, as well as the historical influence of the European heritage on Afrikaner thinking and the direct influence thereof on the appropriation of Afrikaans as a symbol and product of an exclusive, ethnical group. Classical perceptions and myths in respect of the origin of Afrikaans and the status of creole languages as opposed to so-called "pure" languages are queried. With reference to the results of the research the author reflects on the possibility of a paradigmatic shift in respect of Standard Afrikaans in its present format. Actual Afrikaans ("aktuele Afrikaans") as a basis for a generally accepted standard language is presented as a new concept. The author reflects on the internal and external desirability of a new approach to Afrikaans as the stimulus behind the survival and acceptance of Afrikaans as an intranational and international language of, inter alia, science, technology, philosophy and social interaction. Scientific arguments in respect of language change, language influencing, language diffusion and language fusion are advanced in this respect. / In hierdie proefskrif word die ideologie agter die debat oor Standaardafrikaans se posisie in die nuwe, multilinguistiese Suid-Afrikaanse bestel met elf amptelike tale vanuit 'n psigolinguistiese perspektief ondersoek. Daar word gekonsentreer op hoe ideologie en mag 'n rol in die vorming van die varieteit Standaardafrikaans gespeel het, en dit steeds doen. Daar word aangetoon hoe historiese en hedendaagse filosofiese, maatskaplike en taalpolitiese oorwegings die natuurlike ontwikkeling van Afrikaans bemvloed het deur dit onder andere enersyds statusgewys te bevoordeel en andersyds leksikaal en korpusgewys te benadeel. Die gemeenskaplike band van Afrikaans en Engels as Germaanse tale en die inherente hibridiese aard van Afrikaans word uitgelig. Daar word gewys op die kunsmatige rol wat Eurosentrisme en die strewe na "taalsuiwerheid" in opvattinge en mites oor Afrikaans gehad het, asook op die historiese invloed van die Europese erfenis op Afrikanerdenke en die indirekte invloed daarvan op die toe-eiening van Afrikaans as simbool en produk van 'n eksklusiewe, etniese groepering. Klassieke opvattinge en mites oor die ontstaan van Afrikaans en die status van kreoolse tale vergeleke met sogenaamde "suiwer" tale word bevraagteken. Na aanleiding van navorsingsresultate word daar besin oor 'n moontlike paradigmaverskuiwing ten opsigte van Standaardafrikaans in die huidige gedaante daarvan. Aktuele Afrikaans as 'n basis vir 'n algemeen aanvaarbare standaardtaal word as nu we konsep aangebied. Daar word besin oor die inteme en eksteme wenslikheid van 'n nuwe benadering tot Afrikaans as die stukrag vir die voortbestaan en aanvaarding .van Afrikaans as 'n intranasionale en intemasionale taal van, onder andere, die wetenskap, tegnologie, filosofie en sosiale omgang. Hiervoor word wetenskaplike argumente. / Afrikaans / D.Lit. et Phil.(Afrikaans)

La linguistique historique et comparative joue un rôle important dans l’étude de l’histoire culturelle des sociétés. Dans ce cadre, certains spécialistes se basent sur la méthode de reconstruction lexicale « Wörter und Sachen » (Mots et Choses). Afin de répondre aux problèmes qui se présentent lors de l’application de cette méthodologie, nous avons jugé utile d’étudier le vocabulaire lié à une technique récente dont l’histoire est assez bien connue. Une étude pareille montre comment le lexique s’est constitué et identifie les traces laissées éventuellement par l’histoire de la technique elle-même. Le choix s’est porté sur le lexique de la fonte de l’aluminium en zarma et en hausa du Niger. La recherche témoigne d’une approche empirique et sociolinguistique et l’étude des vocabulaires est abordée partant du principe onomasiologique du changement lexical. Le cœur du travail consiste en l’analyse des vocabulaires récoltés sur le terrain suivant une typologie nouvelle du changement lexical. Une description synthétique des deux langues est fournie afin de permettre au lecteur de se familiariser avec ces systèmes linguistiques. L’étude de quelques cas particuliers montre comment les aspects sociaux influencent indéniablement la constitution des lexiques. La comparaison des lexiques de la fonte dans les langues du Niger avec ceux qui ont été observés dans d’autres langues de l’Afrique occidentale donne l’opportunité de réfléchir sur la nature du vocabulaire de la fonte de façon plus générale. Dans la dernière partie de l’étude d’autres lexiques techniques sont pris en compte afin de progresser vers une théorie plus globale.<p><p>/Historical and comparative linguistics plays an important role in the study of a society’s cultural history. In this context, some specialists follow the method of lexical reconstruction "Wörter und Sachen" (Words and Things). In order to deal with the problems that occur in the application of this methodology, we found it useful to study the lexicon of a recent technique for which the history is quite well known. Such a research shows how the vocabulary is constituted and identifies the traces that might be left by the history of the technique itself. We chose the vocabulary of aluminium casting in Zarma and Hausa of Niger. The study testifies of an empirical and sociolinguistic approach, while the vocabulary is explored starting from the onomasiological principal of lexical change. The main part consists of an analysis of the vocabularies collected in the field through a new typology of lexical change. In order to give the reader the occasion to familiarise with the linguistic system of the two languages, a brief grammatical description is given. The study of some particular cases shows how social aspects influence the constitution of the lexicon. The comparison of the casting vocabularies in the languages of Niger with those observed in other West-African countries gives the opportunity to reflect upon the nature of casting vocabulary on a larger scale. The last part of the study takes into account other technical vocabularies in order to develop a global theory.<p> / Doctorat en Langues et lettres / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans, English and Tshwana / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-193) / Pragmatiese merkers in Omgangsafrikaans dien as belangrike kontekstualiseringswenke. Dit rig gespreksgenote in terme van uitingrelevansie en stel die spreker in staat om, op bondige wyse, ’n houding teenoor die proposisie van die uiting te openbaar. Dit dra ook by tot die gesprekstruktuur. Die sistematiese ondersoek na pragmatiese merkers volg ’n eklektiese benadering: die relevansieteorie, grammatikalisasieteorie, diskoersanalise, sosiopragmatiek en korpuslinguistiek word ingespan om die verskynsel te bestudeer en te verklaar. Die pragmatiese merkers “rêrig/regtig”, “oukei”, “soos”, “hoor” en “weet” is bestudeer aan die hand van die Pretoriakorpus van Omgangsafrikaans (PO) vanweë hul hoë gebruiksfrekwensie in die korpus. ’n Vergelyking van die gebruiksfrekwensies van hierdie pragmatiese merkers onder verskillende groeperinge van sprekers toon aan dat jong, volwasse en bejaarde mans en vroue dit verskillend gebruik. Die onderskeie funksies bied voorts leidrade waardeur die grammatikalisasie van pragmatiese merkers nagespeur kan word. Dit wil voorkom asof jong vroulike sprekers die voortou neem in die gebruik en ontwikkeling van pragmatiese merkers teenoor jong manlike sprekers. Die studie het verder bevind dat veral volwasse vroulike sprekers aktief bydra tot die ontwikkeling van hierdie pragmatiese merkers. / Pragmatic markers in interactional Afrikaans serve as important contextualising cues. They guide interlocutors as to the relevance of utterances and equip the speaker to signal an attitude towards the proposition of the utterance in a succinct way. They also contribute to the conversation structure. The systematic investigation of pragmatic markers follows an eclectic approach: relevance theory, grammaticalisation theory, discourse analysis, sociopragmatics and corpus linguistics are engaged in order to study and explain the phenomenon. The pragmatic markers “rêrig/regtig”, “oukei”, “soos”, “hoor” en “weet” are studied on the basis of the Pretoriakorpus van Omgangsafrikaans (PO) owing to their high frequency in the corpus. A comparison of the usage frequencies of these pragmatic markers among various groups of speakers indicates that young, adult and elderly men and women use them differently. The respective functions offer clues by which the grammaticalisation of pragmatic markers may be traced. It appears that young female speakers take the lead in the use and development of pragmatic markers compared to young male speakers. The study further found that especially adult female speakers contribute actively to the development of these pragmatic markers. / Matshwao a puo mo puong ya kgolagano ya Afrikaans a dira jaaka matshwao a botlhokwa a bokao. A kaela babui ka bomaleba jwa dipuo le go thusa sebui go bontsha maikutlo malebana le polelo e e tshitshinngwang ka boripana. Gape a tshwaela mo sebopegong sa puisano. Tshekatsheko e e rulaganeng ya matshwao a puo e ne e dirisa mekgwa e e farologaneng: tiori ya bomaleba, tiori ya tiriso ya thutapuo, tshekatsheko ya puisano, matshwao a puoloago le thuto ya dipuo e e lebelelang dikwalo tse di gona (corpus linguistics) di dirisitswe go batlisisa le go tlhalosa dikgakgamatso tseo. Matshwao a puo a “rêrig/regtig”, “oukei”, “soos”, “hoor” le “weet” a batlisisitswe go lebeletswe Pretoriakorpus van Omgangsafrikaans (PO) ka ntlha ya go nna teng ga ona thata mo dikwalong. Tshwantshanyo ya seelo sa tiriso ya matshwao ano a puo magareng ga ditlhopha tsa dibui e supa gore bašwa, bagolo le bagodi ba banna le basadi ba a dirisa ka ditsela tse di farologaneng. Ditiro tse di rileng di bontsha disupi tse ka tsona go ka latedisiwang tiriso ya thutapuo ya matshwao a puo. Go bonala fa dibui tsa bašwa ba basadi di eteletse pele mo tirisong le kgodisong ya matshwao a puo fa di ntshwantshanngwa le dibui tsa banna. Thutopatlisiso e fitlheletse gape gore dibui tsa bagolo ba basadi bogolosegolo di tshwaela ka botlhaga mo kgodisong ya matshwao ano a puo. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)

No description available.

This thesis is a comparative sociolinguistic study which describes and compares language choice among people with Hungarian background in Sweden and Finland and studies their views on the importance of the Hungarian language and Hungarian cultural heritage for identity. The future prospects of language maintenance and language shift and differences between the Swedish-Hungarians and the Finnish-Hungarians are discussed. A survey was completed among 50 Swedish-Hungarian informants and 38 Finnish-Hungarian informants during 2006. The survey was supplemented by in-depth interviews with 15 informants during 2007. The majority language, either Swedish or Finnish, is much more active in the second-generation Hungarians’ lives than Hungarian is. Hungarian is mostly used in the domain of family relations. The language choices made today are dependent on the informant’s situation during childhood, particularly the parents’ usage of the language and the ability to learn and use Hungarian, chiefly gained through contact with the parents’ mother country and other Hungarian speakers. For some informants, having Hungarian roots forms the sole foundation for belonging, while for others it is this heritage combined with the culture, the ability to use the language or specific character traits. The Hungarian background is most often seen as a treasure offering diversity in life. Finnish-Hungarians are generally more positive about their Hungarian background, have better competence in the language and a greater awareness of the culture than Swedish-Hungarians. The Hungarian language plays a central though often symbolic role. The most important conditions for minority language preservation are language competence together with the desire and opportunity to use it; whereof the largest deficit among second-generation Hungarians is knowledge of the Hungarian language. Only one-fourth of the informants have all of the conditions necessary to be able to maintain the language, which means that Hungarian is an endangered minority language in Sweden and Finland.

This thesis is a comparative sociolinguistic study which describes and compares language choice among people with Hungarian background in Sweden and Finland and studies their views on the importance of the Hungarian language and Hungarian cultural heritage for identity. The future prospects of language maintenance and language shift and differences between the Swedish-Hungarians and the Finnish-Hungarians are discussed. A survey was completed among 50 Swedish-Hungarian informants and 38 Finnish-Hungarian informants during 2006. The survey was supplemented by in-depth interviews with 15 informants during 2007. The majority language, either Swedish or Finnish, is much more active in the second-generation Hungarians’ lives than Hungarian is. Hungarian is mostly used in the domain of family relations. The language choices made today are dependent on the informant’s situation during childhood, particularly the parents’ usage of the language and the ability to learn and use Hungarian, chiefly gained through contact with the parents’ mother country and other Hungarian speakers. For some informants, having Hungarian roots forms the sole foundation for belonging, while for others it is this heritage combined with the culture, the ability to use the language or specific character traits. The Hungarian background is most often seen as a treasure offering diversity in life. Finnish-Hungarians are generally more positive about their Hungarian background, have better competence in the language and a greater awareness of the culture than Swedish-Hungarians. The Hungarian language plays a central though often symbolic role. The most important conditions for minority language preservation are language competence together with the desire and opportunity to use it; whereof the largest deficit among second-generation Hungarians is knowledge of the Hungarian language. Only one-fourth of the informants have all of the conditions necessary to be able to maintain the language, which means that Hungarian is an endangered minority language in Sweden and Finland.