“Flying at half-mast”? Voices, genres, and orthographies in Barbadian Creole*
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Janina Fenigsen
Abstract
Bajan, a Barbadian creole, has no standard orthography. It is written and published in a variety of spellings, and its readership and the generic scope remain limited. The reception of Bajan texts is regimented by the history of representational practices that used non-standard spelling as parody. Because within the cultures of script linguistic prestige depends on the existence of a robust range of written genres, this reception hinders the raising of the prestige of Bajan. The relationship between Bajan spelling and its prestige, then, comes around a full circle: the lack of standardized orthography reinforces the low prestige of Bajan that prevents its emergence. Because the low prestige restricts social mobility of lower-class Bajan speakers, it reinforces social hierarchies. Thus, the interpretive practices of the readers whose stance toward Bajan texts is not determined by spelling are particularly interesting. I consider such alternative readings and propose how to account for them.
Abstract
Bajan, a Barbadian creole, has no standard orthography. It is written and published in a variety of spellings, and its readership and the generic scope remain limited. The reception of Bajan texts is regimented by the history of representational practices that used non-standard spelling as parody. Because within the cultures of script linguistic prestige depends on the existence of a robust range of written genres, this reception hinders the raising of the prestige of Bajan. The relationship between Bajan spelling and its prestige, then, comes around a full circle: the lack of standardized orthography reinforces the low prestige of Bajan that prevents its emergence. Because the low prestige restricts social mobility of lower-class Bajan speakers, it reinforces social hierarchies. Thus, the interpretive practices of the readers whose stance toward Bajan texts is not determined by spelling are particularly interesting. I consider such alternative readings and propose how to account for them.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
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Part I. Variation and linguistic systems
- Revisiting variation between sa and o in Sranan 13
- Inherent variability and coexistent systems 39
- Putting individuals back in contact 57
- Relative markers in spoken Standard Jamaican English 79
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Part II. Variation and identity
- “Flying at half-mast”? Voices, genres, and orthographies in Barbadian Creole* 107
- The creole continuum and individual agency 133
- Language attitudes and linguistic awareness in Jamaican English 163
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Part III. Variation and the community
- The varilingual repertoire of Tobagonian speakers 191
- On the emergence of new language varieties 207
- ‘Creole’ and youth language in a British inner-city community 231
- Le Page’s theoretical and applied legacy in sociolinguistics and creole studies 251
- Name index 273
- Subject index 275
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Variation and linguistic systems
- Revisiting variation between sa and o in Sranan 13
- Inherent variability and coexistent systems 39
- Putting individuals back in contact 57
- Relative markers in spoken Standard Jamaican English 79
-
Part II. Variation and identity
- “Flying at half-mast”? Voices, genres, and orthographies in Barbadian Creole* 107
- The creole continuum and individual agency 133
- Language attitudes and linguistic awareness in Jamaican English 163
-
Part III. Variation and the community
- The varilingual repertoire of Tobagonian speakers 191
- On the emergence of new language varieties 207
- ‘Creole’ and youth language in a British inner-city community 231
- Le Page’s theoretical and applied legacy in sociolinguistics and creole studies 251
- Name index 273
- Subject index 275
