Deconstructing and reinventing the concept of multilingualism: A case study of the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscape
This article aims at deconstructing the conception of multilingualism developed in mainstream sociolinguistics by critically examining the assumptions underlying this trend of research, which is grounded in the scholarship of Labov (1972), Fishman (1984) and even Gumperz (1972). In order to engage i...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch University
2017-12-01
|
| Series: | Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://spilplus.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/698 |
| _version_ | 1818850990012497920 |
|---|---|
| author | Tirvassen, Rada Ramasawmy, Shalini Jagambal |
| author_facet | Tirvassen, Rada Ramasawmy, Shalini Jagambal |
| author_sort | Tirvassen, Rada |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article aims at deconstructing the conception of multilingualism developed in mainstream sociolinguistics by critically examining the assumptions underlying this trend of research, which is grounded in the scholarship of Labov (1972), Fishman (1984) and even Gumperz (1972). In order to engage in that discussion, we use the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscape, as described by researchers following that tradition, as a case. We, thus, carry out a meta-analysis of existing sociolinguistic research conducted in Mauritius, which serve to illustrate the extent to which knowledge produced bear the influence of the structuralist approach. Then, we critically discuss and reflect upon the assumptions underpinning such research, and in so doing, challenge key concepts such as language and diglossia. Finally, we open a discussion on the need to adopt an alternative epistemological position in order to construct a different type of interpretation of the phenomenon following the ground-breaking work of scholars such as Makoni and Pennycook (2007), Herdina and Jessner (2002), Blackledge and Creese (2010), Garcia (2009) and de Robillard (2005, 2007). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T06:57:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-abf31b14659f4b648cf642cde44e306c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-541X 2224-3380 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T06:57:54Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus |
| spelling | doaj.art-abf31b14659f4b648cf642cde44e306c2022-12-21T20:31:29ZafrStellenbosch UniversityStellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus1726-541X2224-33802017-12-01510415910.5842/51-0-698Deconstructing and reinventing the concept of multilingualism: A case study of the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscapeTirvassen, Rada0Ramasawmy, Shalini Jagambal1University of Pretoria, South AfricaMauritius Institute of EducationThis article aims at deconstructing the conception of multilingualism developed in mainstream sociolinguistics by critically examining the assumptions underlying this trend of research, which is grounded in the scholarship of Labov (1972), Fishman (1984) and even Gumperz (1972). In order to engage in that discussion, we use the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscape, as described by researchers following that tradition, as a case. We, thus, carry out a meta-analysis of existing sociolinguistic research conducted in Mauritius, which serve to illustrate the extent to which knowledge produced bear the influence of the structuralist approach. Then, we critically discuss and reflect upon the assumptions underpinning such research, and in so doing, challenge key concepts such as language and diglossia. Finally, we open a discussion on the need to adopt an alternative epistemological position in order to construct a different type of interpretation of the phenomenon following the ground-breaking work of scholars such as Makoni and Pennycook (2007), Herdina and Jessner (2002), Blackledge and Creese (2010), Garcia (2009) and de Robillard (2005, 2007).https://spilplus.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/698multilingualismlanguagediglossialinguistic ethnographytranslanguaging |
| spellingShingle | Tirvassen, Rada Ramasawmy, Shalini Jagambal Deconstructing and reinventing the concept of multilingualism: A case study of the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscape Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus multilingualism language diglossia linguistic ethnography translanguaging |
| title | Deconstructing and reinventing the concept of multilingualism: A case study of the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscape |
| title_full | Deconstructing and reinventing the concept of multilingualism: A case study of the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscape |
| title_fullStr | Deconstructing and reinventing the concept of multilingualism: A case study of the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscape |
| title_full_unstemmed | Deconstructing and reinventing the concept of multilingualism: A case study of the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscape |
| title_short | Deconstructing and reinventing the concept of multilingualism: A case study of the Mauritian sociolinguistic landscape |
| title_sort | deconstructing and reinventing the concept of multilingualism a case study of the mauritian sociolinguistic landscape |
| topic | multilingualism language diglossia linguistic ethnography translanguaging |
| url | https://spilplus.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/698 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tirvassenrada deconstructingandreinventingtheconceptofmultilingualismacasestudyofthemauritiansociolinguisticlandscape AT ramasawmyshalinijagambal deconstructingandreinventingtheconceptofmultilingualismacasestudyofthemauritiansociolinguisticlandscape |