Midterm Discussion Review Flashcards
4) How would Lexico-Statistics decide that two speakers spoke the same language?
Lexico-Statistics would choose 100-200 specific words in two languages. If 81-100% are cognates, they are considered the same language.
5) What problem do dialect continuums pose for the Mutual Intelligibility Hypothesis?
They expose the failure to differentiate between language and dialect, as the shift between languages is gradual.
6) Is Scots historically derived from Standard British English (London English)?
No, they are derived from different dialects of Old English.
7) What is the political relationship between speakers of London English and speakers of Scots?
London and Scots are part of the same country and share a common ethnicity.
(a) informal vocabulary, often not found in dictionaries but used in daily life
Slang
(b) a standard variety used by people in a country
Language
(c) speech used for a particular activity or a particular social setting
Register
(d) an informal variety that doesn’t have a written form
Patois
(e) ways of speaking depending on formality: formal vs. informal
Style
(f) a distinctive way of pronouncing a language
Accent
(g) a variety used by people in a particular region or in a particular social group
Dialect
9) Which of the following from (8) has Scots been historically considered? Why do you think that is?
Scots has historically been considered a dialect of English, as both are from the same country and ethnicity, and London English is the standard.
10) Why might the movement to declare Scots a language separate from English be occurring now?
It may be occurring due to Brexit and the desire to create Scottish nationalism and push for independence.
11) Can you understand the Scots Wikipedia entry? Does this mean it could never be considered a separate language? Why or why not?
I can understand it to an extent. No, it can be considered a separate language because language classification depends on socio-political factors (e.g., Hindi and Urdu are mutually intelligible but are separate languages).
12) Why do people find the Scots Wikipedia entry funny?
Encyclopedias usually use the most prestigious standard form of language, and Scots is a dialect, which contrasts with this expectation
- When would a variety be classified as a pidgin?
A variety is classified as a pidgin when it is formed as an emergency language for a contract situation, so there are no native speakers, nor is it a mother tongue.
- Under what circumstances do pidgins form? Give examples from class.
Pidgins form under various circumstances: War (e.g., Bamboo English during WWII), Plantations (e.g., Hawaiian Pidgin by immigrant workers), Trade (e.g., Russonorsk by Russian merchants and Norse fishermen), and Maritime (e.g., Sabir for maritime trade).
- How does the situation under which Nicaraguan Sign Language (ISN) formed resemble the circumstances of the pidgins we discussed in class?
ISN formed because students spoke different languages (home signs) while teachers used Signed Spanish, leading to the necessity for a quick communication method.
- What are some grammatical features of pidgins?
Pidgins have no inflections, simplified pronunciation, small vocabulary (reduplication, polysemy), and simplified grammar.
- What must have been true of the grammar of pidgin LSN (Lenguaje de Signos Nicaragüense)?
LSN’s grammar would have had simplified elements like no inflections, and it would have included features like handshapes, motion patterns, and discreteness (breaking down into smaller motions).
- What would the superstratum and substratum languages be for the pidgin LSN?
The superstratum is Signed Spanish (from school), and the substratum is the sign language used at home (home signs).
- When would a variety be classified as a creole?
A variety is classified as a creole when children grow up speaking it as their mother tongue, and it becomes a fully developed language.
- How do creoles compare to older languages like English?
Creoles have compounding, fewer sounds and sound combinations, and a smaller vocabulary, but they can still express complex ideas and topics.
- How do you think ISN compares to American Sign Language?
ISN is similar to ASL in terms of grammar and vocabulary but is less standardized, with ASL having a larger vocabulary and being considered more sophisticated and prestigious.
- What are the three mysteries of creole creation?
1) How do children create creoles? 2) Why do creoles resemble each other more than they resemble the superstratum and substratum languages? 3) Why are there many Portuguese influences in creoles?
- How does the development of ISN demonstrate these mysteries?
ISN was created by children, shares grammatical features with Spanish, but does not include Portuguese influences, showing the mystery of creole creation.
- Explain the Monogenetic Theory for the origin of creoles.
Sabir, a sailing language from the Middle Ages, is the base for all creoles. Portuguese sailors spread this Sabir/Portuguese hybrid, which was later relexified with the local prestigious language.
- Explain the Universal Grammar Theory for the origin of creoles.
Humans are hardwired to learn language, and when infants hear pidgin (insufficient linguistic input), they set their language parameters to default, explaining common grammar features across creoles.
- Which theory does the creation of ISN support? Why?
ISN supports the Universal Grammar Theory because there were no Portuguese-Sabir hybrids in the school, and the grammatical features of ISN are shared across other creoles.
Consider the following statements: are these speakers bilingual? What does it mean to be bilingual?
All four speakers are bilingual. Bilingual means fluency in 2 or more languages and being comfortable speaking, reading, and writing in both.
- What is demonstrated in Spivey and Marion (1999)? In Hull and Vaid (2007)?
Spivey and Marion (1999): Both languages are constantly active in the brain, as demonstrated by eye-tracking moments with simultaneous bilinguals. Hull and Vaid (2007): L1 languages acquired before age 6 build up bilaterally, while L2 acquired after age 6 is used more on the left brain hemisphere.
- Is Mario Fantini an additive or subtractive bilingual? Is he balanced or unbalanced, and which language is dominant? By what method was he raised bilingual?
Mario Fantini is an additive, unbalanced bilingual, with English as dominant now, but Spanish was his dominant language as a child. He was raised bilingual using the minority language at home strategy.
- How did the community surrounding Mario and his father Alvino’s first language affect their language outcomes?
The community viewed Alvino’s Italian as non-prestigious, leading to discouragement in speaking it. Mario perceived his bilingualism positively because of community support.
- Mario is doing well in an English-monolingual classroom at school. What factors might be helping him succeed?
His parents supported bilingual education and opposed speech therapy, and their socioeconomic status is wealthy.
- Why was Mario making unusual mistakes in English, and why was his teacher concerned?
Mario made mistakes because of Spanish-dominance and phonological deviations. The teacher was concerned due to limited language resources and believed Mario was using cognitive resources in Spanish.
- What kind of bilinguals are the Caldas children (simultaneous/sequential, balanced/unbalanced, additive/subtractive)? By what method were they raised bilingual?
The Caldas children are simultaneous, unbalanced, additive bilinguals. They were raised with one parent speaking one language, then both parents switched to speaking French at home due to concerns about language input.
- How do peers regard John’s bilingualism? How has this influenced his language use?
Peers view John’s bilingualism as cool or uncool depending on the environment. Around French speakers, he speaks French, while in Louisiana, he prefers English due to social pressure.
- John and his sisters use French and English at different rates. What is the usual pattern for older/younger siblings? What influences this in the Caldas family?
Usually, older siblings use the minority language more, but in the Caldas family, the younger siblings are influenced by peers, leading to more English use.
- What kind of bilinguals are the Matthews children (Timmy, Sophie, Alicia)? By what method were they raised bilingual?
The Matthews children are simultaneous, unbalanced, and additive bilinguals. They were raised using one parent language and later started using the minority language at home.
- How does the community perceive the Matthews children’s bilingualism? How has this influenced their language outcomes?
The community views English as prestigious, and the children practice it, influenced by the high social value placed on English.
- Do the Matthews children mix their languages? Is this harmful cognitive dissonance? Why or why not?
The Matthews children mix languages, but this is not harmful cognitive dissonance; it is normal, as adults also mix languages.
- What can be done to encourage children to grow up bilingual?
Creating a positive environment with lots of exposure to both languages, fostering community learning, and promoting additive bilingualism.
- Is it beneficial or detrimental to raise children in these studies in two languages?
It depends on the environment. Raising children bilingually can be beneficial in the right supportive context.
) How proficient are the people interviewed in both English and Spanish?
They are very proficient because they can code-switch.
2) Which language would be these speakers’ ‘we’ language? Which is their ‘they’ language?
The “we” language is Spanish, and the “they” language is English.
3) Can you find an example of insertion/intra-sentential code-switching? Which language does the grammar appear to be in?
Example: “Hablo un mix de los dos languages.” The grammar is Spanish.
a) Does your example follow the grammar rules we discussed in class?
Yes, it follows the grammatical structure of Spanish while inserting the English word “mix” and “languages.”
4) Find an example of someone describing code-switching for stylistic reasons.
Gustavo Perez Firmat said English is concise and efficient, while Spanish is flavorful. He switches to Spanish to express his behavior better.
5) Find an example of someone describing code-switching for convenience reasons.
The English word “parking” is used as “Tarquin” instead of “estacionamiento” since it is shorter to say.
6) Find an example of someone describing code-switching for cultural identity reasons.
Ms. Haubegger, 28, owner of the magazine company Latina, believes that writing in Spanglish captures the culture of their readers and helps them feel represented.
7) In what domain(s) do the speakers describe code-switching? Remember that domains can be described by their addressee(s), setting, and topic.
Code-switching occurs when speaking with other bilinguals, in informal settings like close relationships, talk shows, magazines, music lyrics, and when describing emotions.
