Negotiating local in-group norms in times of globalization. Adnominal gender variation in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands

This paper discusses variation in adnominal gender marking in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands, i.e., Moroccan Dutch in the city of Gouda and leveled local dialect, Brabantish, in the city of Eindhoven. In both settings, linguistic practices are influenced by language contact with Stand...

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Main Authors: Kristel Doreleijers, Khalid Mourigh, Jos Swanenberg
Format: Article
Language:Danish
Published: Aalborg University Open Publishing 2023-10-01
Series:Globe
Online Access:https://journals.aau.dk/index.php/globe/article/view/8041
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author Kristel Doreleijers
Khalid Mourigh
Jos Swanenberg
author_facet Kristel Doreleijers
Khalid Mourigh
Jos Swanenberg
author_sort Kristel Doreleijers
collection DOAJ
description This paper discusses variation in adnominal gender marking in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands, i.e., Moroccan Dutch in the city of Gouda and leveled local dialect, Brabantish, in the city of Eindhoven. In both settings, linguistic practices are influenced by language contact with Standard Dutch, the dominant language in society, resulting in variation patterns such as omissions and overgeneralizations (i.e., hyperforms). Interestingly, we find overgeneralizations of common gender determiners in Moroccan Dutch, as described in previous research, but also of neuter gender determiners. This hypercorrect usage of the (neuter) prestige variant contrasts with the variation found in the Brabantish variety, as the Eindhoven speakers tend to overuse the local dialect form instead of the standard variant. However, we show that both variation patterns may well be driven by the same underlying mechanism of (re-)indexicalization. Data from speech recordings and online peer conversations as well as focus group discussions reveal that in both cases the gender feature acquires different indexical meanings, depending on the register and stylistic practices speakers are involved in. These indexical meanings are not fixed, but result from a dynamic process of negotiating in-group norms on the local level of peer interactions.
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spelling doaj.art-6f9281e95ad14ca9a1ed202115b626832024-04-03T10:21:59ZdanAalborg University Open PublishingGlobe2246-88382023-10-011510.54337/ojs.globe.v15i.8041Negotiating local in-group norms in times of globalization. Adnominal gender variation in two urban youth varieties in the NetherlandsKristel Doreleijers0Khalid Mourigh1Jos Swanenberg2Tilburg University & KNAW Meertens InstituteKNAW Meertens InstituteTilburg University & KNAW Meertens Institute This paper discusses variation in adnominal gender marking in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands, i.e., Moroccan Dutch in the city of Gouda and leveled local dialect, Brabantish, in the city of Eindhoven. In both settings, linguistic practices are influenced by language contact with Standard Dutch, the dominant language in society, resulting in variation patterns such as omissions and overgeneralizations (i.e., hyperforms). Interestingly, we find overgeneralizations of common gender determiners in Moroccan Dutch, as described in previous research, but also of neuter gender determiners. This hypercorrect usage of the (neuter) prestige variant contrasts with the variation found in the Brabantish variety, as the Eindhoven speakers tend to overuse the local dialect form instead of the standard variant. However, we show that both variation patterns may well be driven by the same underlying mechanism of (re-)indexicalization. Data from speech recordings and online peer conversations as well as focus group discussions reveal that in both cases the gender feature acquires different indexical meanings, depending on the register and stylistic practices speakers are involved in. These indexical meanings are not fixed, but result from a dynamic process of negotiating in-group norms on the local level of peer interactions. https://journals.aau.dk/index.php/globe/article/view/8041
spellingShingle Kristel Doreleijers
Khalid Mourigh
Jos Swanenberg
Negotiating local in-group norms in times of globalization. Adnominal gender variation in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands
Globe
title Negotiating local in-group norms in times of globalization. Adnominal gender variation in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands
title_full Negotiating local in-group norms in times of globalization. Adnominal gender variation in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands
title_fullStr Negotiating local in-group norms in times of globalization. Adnominal gender variation in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands
title_full_unstemmed Negotiating local in-group norms in times of globalization. Adnominal gender variation in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands
title_short Negotiating local in-group norms in times of globalization. Adnominal gender variation in two urban youth varieties in the Netherlands
title_sort negotiating local in group norms in times of globalization adnominal gender variation in two urban youth varieties in the netherlands
url https://journals.aau.dk/index.php/globe/article/view/8041
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AT khalidmourigh negotiatinglocalingroupnormsintimesofglobalizationadnominalgendervariationintwourbanyouthvarietiesinthenetherlands
AT josswanenberg negotiatinglocalingroupnormsintimesofglobalizationadnominalgendervariationintwourbanyouthvarietiesinthenetherlands