John Benjamins Publishing Company
Selfing and othering through categories of race, place, and language among minority youths in Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Abstract
This is the first study of processes of selfing and othering by speakers of a non-standard variety of Dutch. The group studied consists of young men in the Dutch city of Rotterdam who self-identify as Surinamese while having only very limited proficiency in what is considered their heritage language, Sranan. Applying a synthesis of principles and concepts from various semiotic approaches to the study of identification processes (Baumann 2004, Bucholtz & Hall 2005, Gal & Irvine 1995), it is shown that the youngsters in this study interweave categories of language, race, and place in assembling constantly changing multi-leveled identities that help to construct self and other. We will analyze the indexical workings of these interwoven categories and show how the constantly re-defined segmenting of these categories enables speakers to authenticate or denaturalize groups and individuals in changing discursive contexts.
Abstract
This is the first study of processes of selfing and othering by speakers of a non-standard variety of Dutch. The group studied consists of young men in the Dutch city of Rotterdam who self-identify as Surinamese while having only very limited proficiency in what is considered their heritage language, Sranan. Applying a synthesis of principles and concepts from various semiotic approaches to the study of identification processes (Baumann 2004, Bucholtz & Hall 2005, Gal & Irvine 1995), it is shown that the youngsters in this study interweave categories of language, race, and place in assembling constantly changing multi-leveled identities that help to construct self and other. We will analyze the indexical workings of these interwoven categories and show how the constantly re-defined segmenting of these categories enables speakers to authenticate or denaturalize groups and individuals in changing discursive contexts.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introducing a new series ix
- Multilingualism, language contact, and urban areas 1
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Language acquisition, contact and change
- Voice onset time across the generations 19
- Investigating second language pronunciation 39
- Ethnolects in Northern Norway 63
- Two gender systems in one mind 95
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Multilingual identities
- Selfing and othering through categories of race, place, and language among minority youths in Rotterdam, The Netherlands 129
- Multilingualism and identity 165
- Ethnolect studies in the German and the Netherlandic area 177
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Urban spaces
- The delicate search for language in spaces 209
- The management of multilingualism in a city-state 227
- Multilingual communication in Hamburg 257
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Education
- Current research on language transfer 289
- Multilingual education in India 305
- Fostering early literacy learning using dual language books 327
- Measuring success when English isn’t your native language 349
- Name index 369
- Subject index 377
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introducing a new series ix
- Multilingualism, language contact, and urban areas 1
-
Language acquisition, contact and change
- Voice onset time across the generations 19
- Investigating second language pronunciation 39
- Ethnolects in Northern Norway 63
- Two gender systems in one mind 95
-
Multilingual identities
- Selfing and othering through categories of race, place, and language among minority youths in Rotterdam, The Netherlands 129
- Multilingualism and identity 165
- Ethnolect studies in the German and the Netherlandic area 177
-
Urban spaces
- The delicate search for language in spaces 209
- The management of multilingualism in a city-state 227
- Multilingual communication in Hamburg 257
-
Education
- Current research on language transfer 289
- Multilingual education in India 305
- Fostering early literacy learning using dual language books 327
- Measuring success when English isn’t your native language 349
- Name index 369
- Subject index 377
