Sociolinguistics LAST PART

LING1113

What is language vitality?

Language vitality is the likelihood that a language will continue to be used across generations and social functions.

It is influenced by institutional support, demographic, and social status. A language with low vitality risks becoming endangered or extinct.

What is diglossia?

Diglossia is a situation where two languages (or varieties) coexists in a community, with one used for high-status functions (e.g., education, religion) and one for low-status functions (e.g., home, casual speech).

Why do some countries promote only one language?

Often for national unity or political reasons, governments promote a dominant language (e.g., Iran, Japan).

This can marginalise minority languages and lead to invisible languages - those not documented or supported institutionally.

What are the advantages of multilingual language policies?

-They reflect real linguistic diversity

-Promote equality and representation.

-Protect indigenous and minority languages (e.g., South Africa’s 11 official languages).

However, implementation challenges often persist.

How does South Africa handle multilingualism?

Post-apartheid South Africa recognises 11 official languages.

This supports linguistic equity, but some smaller languages remain marginalised, and education policies vary by region.

What is unique about Vanuatu’s language policy?

Vanuatu recognises Bislama as the national language and Bislama, English, and French as official languages.

While Bislama promotes national identity, English and French dominate education, limiting indigenous languages’s roles.

What are the three pillars of ethnolinguistics vitality?

Status: Social, historical, and economic prestige of language

Demography: Population size and distribution of speakers

Institutional Support: Presence in media, education, government, and religion.

What is the difference between vitality and prestige?

Vitality is about continuation and support of a language.

Prestige refers to how positively or negatively a language is perceived. A language may be vital without being prestigious (e.g., a widely used but stigmatised dialect)

How can language rights help maintain minority languages?

Through constitutional recognition, educational inclusion, and cultural protections, as seen in Canada (First Nations efforts) and Wales (Welsh bilingualism).

However, colonial legacies and institutional neglect can undermine these efforts.

What is code-switching and how is it different from code-mixing?

Code-switching: Alternating languages across sentences or contexts (e.g., changing language based on addressee).

Code-mixing: Blending elements of two languages within a single utterance or sentence.

What factors influence code-switching?

Addressee, domain, identity, intention (e.g., signalling solidarity or asserting authority ). Code-switching can also be used strategically, such as to include or exclude listeners.

Can code-switching relate to discrimination?

Yes. In some contexts, switching to a non-dominant language can trigger stigma, while failure to switch can signal lack of assimilation. It often reveals power imbalances in multilingual societies.