components of the term vernacular

Components of the Term Vernacular

1/21

One View

1a. Uncodified or unstandardized variety

1b. Acquired in the home, as a first variety

1c. Used for relatively circumscribed functions

Holmes, Janet. 2013. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 4th edition. London: Pearson, p. 77.

Four Alternate Views

2. Any non-official language of a country

3. Any minority language of a country

4. The most colloquial variety in a person's linguistic repertoire

5. Language of everyday communication

2/21

Components of the Term Vernacular


Standard Languages 1

“A standard variety is generally one which

is written

has undergone some degree of regularization or codification

is recognized as a prestigious variety or code by a community

is used for H functions alongside a diversity of L varieties.”

3/21

Holmes, Janet. 2013. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 4th edition. London: Pearson, pp. 78-79.


“This is a very general definition and it

immediately excludes most of the world's four

or five thousand languages. Only a minority

of the world's languages are written, and an

even smaller minority are standardized in the

sense of codified and accepted by the

community as suitable for formal functions.”

4/21



“A standard dialect has no particular linguistic

merits, whether in vocabulary, grammar or

pronunciation. It is simply the dialect of those

who are politically powerful and socially

prestigious.”

5/21


Lingua Francas

“language of wider communication”

“A lingua franca is a language used for communication between people whose first languages differ.”

“More generally, however, the term lingua franca describes a language serving as a regular means of communication between different linguistic groups in a multilingual speech community.”

6/21


Lingua Francas

Tanzania: Swahili

Papua New Guinea: Tok Pisin

former USSR: Russian

Arabic-speaking world: Classical Arabic

East Africa: Swahili

West Africa: Hausa

China: Mandarin

7/21


Identifying Characteristics of a Pidgin Language

1. It is used in restricted domains and functions

2. It has a simplified structure and limited vocabulary compared to the source languages

3. It generally has low prestige and attracts

negative attitudes—especially from outsiders

Holmes, Janet. 2008. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 3rd edition. London: Longman, pp. 85-86. 8/21:3

Simplified Comparison of Pidgins and Creoles

Pidgin Creole* Native Speakers none yesFunctions limited unlimited Domains restricted

unrestricted Vocabulary small rich Morphology none/little expanded Structure irregular

regularized Solidarity no yes/can Prestige no yes/can

*This Creole is a fully developed one.Holmes, Janet. 2008. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 3rd edition. London: Longman, pp. 83-94.

9/21

African American English 1

r-deletion (NOT unique to AAE = NU)

guard god

l-deletion (some speakers)

toll toe

Consonant cluster simplification (NU)

passed pass

Fromkin, Victoria and Robert Rodman. 1998. An Introduction to Language, 6th edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, pp. 412-414.

10/21:6

Phonology

Neutralization of [] and [] before

nasals (NU)

pin pen

Loss of interdental fricatives (NU)

thing fing

this, that, these, those [d]

Fromkin, Victoria and Robert Rodman. 1998. An Introduction to Language, 6th edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, pp. 412-414. 11/21:4


Syntax

Double negatives (NOT unique to AAE) He don’t know nothing.

Deletion of ‘be’SAE AAEHe is / He’s nice He niceThey are / They’re mine They

mine


12/21


Habitual ‘be’

John be happy. John is always happy.

John happy. John is happy now.

He be late. He is habitually late.

He late. He is late this time.


13/21


Vocabulary

NOTHING in FR&H

(some of it may NOT be unique to AAE)


14/21


Multiple Negation

Holmes, Janet. 2001. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 2nd edition. London: Longman, p. 178.

15/21

History of Jamaican Creole 1

Late 17th century

British settlers raising sugarcane

Slaves imported

CONTACT Language—pidgin arose (English vocabulary; simplified syntax; African influences in pronunciation, maybe 10% of the vocabulary, and some syntax)

Montgomery, Martin. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society, 2nd edition. London: Routledge, pp. 82-83.

16/21

Subsequent generations of slaves learned this language (used with masters and fellow slaves)

Evolved, "transformed into a much more complex and flexible language called a creole (defined technically as a pidgin which becomes the first language of a group)" (p. 83)

Montgomery, Martin. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society, 2nd edition. London: Routledge, pp. 82-83.

17/21

History of Jamaican Creole 2

Standard English and Jamaican Creole 1 Standard English Jamaican Creole

Plurals the other girls di addah girl dem

with those other girls wid dem addah girl

Past time I went yesterday mi go yeside

I told you so already me tel yu so aredi

I had already walked mi ben waak

home huom aredi

I have finished sleeping mi don sliipMontgomery, Martin. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society, 2nd edition. London: Routledge, p. 84. 18/21

Standard English Jamaican Creole

Present what are you doing whey you a dhu out yah?

out there?

where are you going? whey you a go?

Possession the man’s hat di man hat

the man’s woman di man woman

didn’t like this noh like dis

Montgomery, Martin. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society, 2nd edition. London: Routledge, p. 84. 19/21

Standard English and Jamaican Creole 2

Jamaican Creole Continuum

Broadest Standard Creole English

20/21

Schematic of Hypothetical Repertoires Broadest Standard Creole EnglishSpeaker | | 1 2 3 4 5

The horizontal length of the line represents the breadth of the speaker's repertoire.

Based on Martin Montgomery. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society, 2nd edition. London: Routledge, pp. 85. 21/21

components of the term vernacular

Documents

standard languages

minority language

outsiders holmes

term vernacular holmes

pidgin language

circumscribed functions

standard variety

worlds languages