‘Creole’ and youth language in a British inner-city community
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Susan Dray
Abstract
This chapter draws on ethnographic research among adolescents in an inner-city area of Manchester, England, which has traditionally been seen as the centre of a ‘Caribbean community.’ We describe how young people in this area from a variety of ethnic backgrounds are using Creole language forms, and show how this poses challenges for existing models which aim to relate ethnicity, geographical origin and language. We suggest that the language behaviour of individuals is more usefully explained by considering their involvement in specific language-based practices valued by the peer group than by reference to their membership of an ethnically defined ‘community’. In their discourse, participants construct themselves (and their preferred practices – linguistic and non-linguistic) as ‘black’, where being ‘black’ is a position in the social order, defined by their practices, not by their ethnic background. We conclude that ‘black’ now more than ever is a social construct and not a skin colour.
Abstract
This chapter draws on ethnographic research among adolescents in an inner-city area of Manchester, England, which has traditionally been seen as the centre of a ‘Caribbean community.’ We describe how young people in this area from a variety of ethnic backgrounds are using Creole language forms, and show how this poses challenges for existing models which aim to relate ethnicity, geographical origin and language. We suggest that the language behaviour of individuals is more usefully explained by considering their involvement in specific language-based practices valued by the peer group than by reference to their membership of an ethnically defined ‘community’. In their discourse, participants construct themselves (and their preferred practices – linguistic and non-linguistic) as ‘black’, where being ‘black’ is a position in the social order, defined by their practices, not by their ethnic background. We conclude that ‘black’ now more than ever is a social construct and not a skin colour.
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
