4. Receptive multilingualism and inter-Scandinavian semicommunication
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Ludger Zeevaert
Abstract
This article is aimed at providing a theoretical subsumption of the term receptive multilingualism. Receptive multilingualism is seen as a communicative practice used in situations of verbal interaction under special circumstances. It is characterised by different languages being used by the different discourse participants. This overview is illustrated with examples taken from interscandinavian semicommunication, i.e. the oral communication between speakers of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. These examples show that the crucial difference between ‘usual’ and receptive multilingual communication lies in the fact that the discourse participants belong to different speech communities. They apply different linguistic and non-linguistic frames of reference and are thus unable to rely on an unconditional functioning of the communication. The larger the differences between the languages, the more probable is the appearance of trouble sources that can be overcome with different methods.
Abstract
This article is aimed at providing a theoretical subsumption of the term receptive multilingualism. Receptive multilingualism is seen as a communicative practice used in situations of verbal interaction under special circumstances. It is characterised by different languages being used by the different discourse participants. This overview is illustrated with examples taken from interscandinavian semicommunication, i.e. the oral communication between speakers of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. These examples show that the crucial difference between ‘usual’ and receptive multilingual communication lies in the fact that the discourse participants belong to different speech communities. They apply different linguistic and non-linguistic frames of reference and are thus unable to rely on an unconditional functioning of the communication. The larger the differences between the languages, the more probable is the appearance of trouble sources that can be overcome with different methods.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- About the authors ix
- Introduction 1
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Part 1 Historical development of receptive multilingualism
- 1. Receptive multilingualism in Northern Europe in the Middle Ages: A description of a scenario 25
- 2. Linguistic diversity in Habsburg Austria as a model for modern European language policy 49
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Part 2 Receptive multilingualism in discourse
- 3. Receptive multilingualism in Dutch–German intercultural team cooperation 73
- 4. Receptive multilingualism and inter-Scandinavian semicommunication 103
- 5. Receptive multilingualism in Switzerland and the case of Biel/Bienne 137
- 6. The Swiss model of plurilingual communication 159
- 7. Receptive multilingualism in business discourses 179
- 8. Speaker stances in native and non-native English conversation: I + verb constructions 195
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Part 3 Testing mutual understanding in receptive multilingual communication
- 9. Understanding differences in inter-Scandinavian language understanding 217
- 10. Scandinavian intercomprehension today 231
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Part 4 Determining the possibilities of reading comprehension in related languages
- 11. Interlingual text comprehension: Linguistic and extralinguistic determinants 249
- 12. Processing levels in foreign-language reading 265
- 13. A computer-based exploration of the lexical possibilities of intercomprehension: Finding German cognates of Dutch words 285
- 14. How can DaFnE and EuroComGerm contribute to the concept of receptive multilingualism? Theoretical and practical considerations 307
- Name index 323
- Subject index 326
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- About the authors ix
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1 Historical development of receptive multilingualism
- 1. Receptive multilingualism in Northern Europe in the Middle Ages: A description of a scenario 25
- 2. Linguistic diversity in Habsburg Austria as a model for modern European language policy 49
-
Part 2 Receptive multilingualism in discourse
- 3. Receptive multilingualism in Dutch–German intercultural team cooperation 73
- 4. Receptive multilingualism and inter-Scandinavian semicommunication 103
- 5. Receptive multilingualism in Switzerland and the case of Biel/Bienne 137
- 6. The Swiss model of plurilingual communication 159
- 7. Receptive multilingualism in business discourses 179
- 8. Speaker stances in native and non-native English conversation: I + verb constructions 195
-
Part 3 Testing mutual understanding in receptive multilingual communication
- 9. Understanding differences in inter-Scandinavian language understanding 217
- 10. Scandinavian intercomprehension today 231
-
Part 4 Determining the possibilities of reading comprehension in related languages
- 11. Interlingual text comprehension: Linguistic and extralinguistic determinants 249
- 12. Processing levels in foreign-language reading 265
- 13. A computer-based exploration of the lexical possibilities of intercomprehension: Finding German cognates of Dutch words 285
- 14. How can DaFnE and EuroComGerm contribute to the concept of receptive multilingualism? Theoretical and practical considerations 307
- Name index 323
- Subject index 326
