One People, Two Tongues

Rajeev K Doley

ISBN 10: 3639716027 / ISBN 13: 9783639716023

Published by SPS Sep 2014, 2014

About this Item

This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -A significant component of human life today is linguistic diversity. In multi-ethnic societies, it is a natural process that the speakers of one language acquire the other language(s) active in the social circles. This leads to code-switching between the acquired languages. From the sociolinguistic approach, the book deals with the socio-cultural motivations behind the age-old Mising-Assamese code-switching practiced by the ethnic Mising speakers living in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam. Although it appears to be just a change of language during conversations, the switching of code has far deeper meanings and implications which the speaker exercises to serve various communicative purposes. Taking help of the Markedness Model of Carol Myers-Scotton which views linguistic choices as negotiations of self-identity and desired relationships with others, the data have been analyzed as 'marked' or 'unmarked' switches according to the prevailing socio-cultural norms under a given situation. As found in the study, this typical verbal behaviour not only signifies the self-perceived identity of the speaker, but also serves as his/her tool to step in or out of this identity as desired. 276 pp. Englisch.

Seller Inventory # 9783639716023

Bibliographic Details

• Title: One People, Two Tongues
• Publisher: SPS Sep 2014
• Publication Date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3639716027
• ISBN 13: 9783639716023
• Binding: Taschenbuch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 220W x 150H x 18D millimeters 220 millimeters width by 150 millimeters height by 18 millimeters depth
• Weight: 429 grams

About this title

Synopsis

A significant component of human life today is linguistic diversity. In multi-ethnic societies, it is a natural process that the speakers of one language acquire the other language(s) active in the social circles. This leads to code-switching between the acquired languages. From the sociolinguistic approach, the book deals with the socio-cultural motivations behind the age-old Mising-Assamese code-switching practiced by the ethnic Mising speakers living in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam. Although it appears to be just a change of language during conversations, the switching of code has far deeper meanings and implications which the speaker exercises to serve various communicative purposes. Taking help of the Markedness Model of Carol Myers-Scotton which views linguistic choices as negotiations of self-identity and desired relationships with others, the data have been analyzed as 'marked' or 'unmarked' switches according to the prevailing socio-cultural norms under a given situation. As found in the study, this typical verbal behaviour not only signifies the self-perceived identity of the speaker, but also serves as his/her tool to step in or out of this identity as desired.