Language change and variation in Gibraltar / David Levey.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Levey, David.

Series:

Impact, studies in language and society ; 23.

Impact : studies in language and society, 1385-7908 ; v. 23

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Linguistic change--Gibraltar.

Linguistic change.

Sociolinguistics--Gibraltar.

Sociolinguistics.

Languages in contact--Gibraltar.

Languages in contact.

Gibraltar--Languages--Variation.

Gibraltar.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (215 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam ; Philadelphia : John Benjamins Publishing, c2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

While much has been written about Gibraltar from historical and political perspectives, sociolinguistic aspects have been largely overlooked. This book describes the influences which have shaped the colony's linguistic development since the British occupation in 1704, and the relationship between the three principal means of communication: English, Spanish and the code-switching variant Yanito. The study then focuses its attentions on the communicative forms and functions of Gibraltarian English. The closing of the border between Gibraltar and Spain (1969-1982), which effectively isolated the colony, had important social and linguistic repercussions. This volume presents the first full account of the language attitudes and identity of a new generation of Gibraltarians, all of whom were born after the border was re-opened. Adopting a variationist approach, this study analyses the extent to which the language use and phonetic realisations of young Gibraltarians differ from those of previous generations and the factors conditioning language variation and change.

Contents:

Language Change and Variation in Gibraltar

Editorial page

Title page

LCC data

Dedication

Table of contents

Tables

Figures

Abbreviations

Acknowledgements

1. Introduction

Language in Gibraltar

Aims and objectives

Underlying socio-political contentions: the effects of the Spanish blockade (1969-1982)

Decline in Spanish language influence

Increase of English language influence

Outline of the book

2. The speech community of Gibraltar

From the Phoenicians to the British occupation in1704

The eighteenth century: the birth of a new population

The nineteenth century: consolidation and growth

The first half of the twentieth century: war, evacuation and identity

The post-war period: tension, referendum and blockade

3. Fieldwork, methodology and analysis

Sampling considerations and criteria

Social variables

Age

Pre-adolescents (aged9-12)

Adolescents/teenagers (aged13-19)

Sex

Ethnicity

Class

Test and interview procedure

Reading Wordlists(RW)

Translation Wordlists(TW)

Recording and analysis

4. Language choice, competence and attitude

Introduction: mother tongue in Gibraltar

Findings

Language choice in the home domain

Language choice in the school domain

School

Most Comfortable Language (MCL)

Factors influencing language choice and behaviour

Communication accommodation

Language confidence and competence

Acts of identity

Language awareness, attitudes and norms

Reading habits

Television viewing habits

Contact with the UK

Contact with Spain

Summary and conclusions

5. Gibraltarian English

Gibraltarian vowel system

KIT/FLEECE

FOOT/GOOSE and BULL/TOOL

FOOT/GOOSE

BULL/TOOL

DRESS.

LOT/THOUGHT merger

TRAP/STRUT merger

START and BATH

NURSE

LETTER

CLOSING DIPHTHONGS

FACE

PRICE

CHOICE

MOUTH

GOAT/GOAL

CENTRING/OPENING DIPHTHONGS

CURE and POOR

NEAR

SQUARE

6. Gibraltarian English

Areas of potential Spanish transfer

/b/ /v/ merger

/∫/ /t∫/ merger

/ʒd/ /dʒ/ merger

/d/ /ð/ merger

TH-fronting

TH-fronting in Britain

Aspiration of fortis plosives /p, t, k/

Initial /s/ + consonant

Clusters and final consonants

T-glottalling

T-glottalling in the British Isles and beyond

T-glottalling in Gibraltar

NG

J and W

H and H-dropping

H-dropping in Britain

H-dropping in Gibraltar

R

R in the the British Isles and beyond

R in Gibraltar

L

L variants in the English-speaking world

L in Gibraltar

Category 1

Category 2

Category 3

Category 4

References

Other material and sources consulted

Index

The series IMPACT: Studies in language and society.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. [173]-188) and index.

ISBN:

9786612152252

9781282152250

1282152254

9789027291592

9027291594

OCLC:

648354277