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Introduction to Sociolinguistics

Introduction to Sociolinguistics. TOPIC 2 Language in society. Bilingualism and bilingual societies. Societal Bilingualism Bilingual/multilingual countries and societies are normal. Second language vs. foreign language.

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Introduction to Sociolinguistics

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  1. Introduction to Sociolinguistics TOPIC 2 Language in society

  2. Bilingualism and bilingual societies • Societal Bilingualism • Bilingual/multilingual countries and societies are normal

  3. Second language vs. foreign language • Second language can be used to describe a language widely spoken in the country of the learner; • Foreign language refers to a language taught in school which is not normally used as a means of instruction in schools or as a language of communication within the country, in the community or in bureaucracy.

  4. Is English a second orforeign language in Hong Kong? • Tsang Yok-sing ‘Lesson in double standards’ 22/2/94 SCMP: • our language education mistakes English as a second language in the territory, which is why we spend so much on teaching the language, yet achieve so little. In fact, English has never been and will never be, anywhere near a second language in Hong Kong, which is truly recognised as a foreign language can there be any hope of it being taught and learned properly.

  5. How do bilingual societies operate? • What are the roles and functions of different languages/varieties in a society? • E.g. Cantonese, Putonghua and English in Hong Kong

  6. Diglossia • Holmes: The use of two varieties in a society, distinguished by function • High and Low varieties; • Typical functions of the H variety: • Literature, education, law, government administration, news broadcasts; • H variety used on formal/official occasions e.g. delivering a speech; holding a meeting. The H variety is usually learnt in school. • L variety used for everyday, more informal purposes. L variety is usually an L1 and learnt at home.

  7. Attitudes to H and L varieties • H variety has high prestige; • Why doesn’t a society use only the H variety? • Overt prestige • Covert (hidden) prestige

  8. The Case of Singapore • Holmes Table 2.4 (p.32) • H (Mandarin, Singapore English formal variety) • L (Cantonese, Hokkien, Singapore English informal variety)

  9. Watch the video on Singapore and compare its linguistic situation with that of Hong Kong (level of individual and societal bilingualism)

  10. Diglossia without bilingualism • Luke & Richards (1982): • A society where two or more languages are commonly used but in which: • i) individual linguistic repertoires are largely confined to one of the languages • ii) a single language is used for intra-group communication • iii) bilingualism is restricted to certain areas of public life • iv) the bilingual population is small • v) the two speech communities rarely mix

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