Expanding industrialization compels the Maya to acquire Spanish as the language of national or international currency. Bilingual parents may choose to teach their offspring only Spanish and thus trigger an intergenerational language shift. This study traces in detail several economic and language transitions taking place in four Kaqchikel towns of central Guatemala: Santa Catarina Barahona, San Antonio Aguas Calientes, San Andres Cevallos and Santiago Zamora. Past language and ethnic policies affecting the Maya are explored in Colonial documents while data from over four hundred household surveys include fluency levels and use patterns in both Spanish and Kaqchikel. Comparisons of fluency levels by demographic characteristics reveal the rate and contour of language shift; comparisons with indicators of traditional versus modern economic involvement reveal broader cultural trends. Concepts from social network theory are used to explain relative degrees of shift in the communities. Practical applications of findings and directions for further research are suggested / acase@tulane.edu
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TULANE/oai:http://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/:tulane_23415 |
| Date | January 1991 |
| Contributors | Brown, Robert McKenna (Author), Maxwell, Judith M (Thesis advisor) |
| Publisher | Tulane University |
| Source Sets | Tulane University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Access requires a license to the Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest) database., Copyright is in accordance with U.S. Copyright law |
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