Making the case for increased prestige of the vernacular
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Joseph R. Weyers
Abstract
Voseo is common in conversations in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, but it is not commonly prescribed for written venues. Currently, voseo appears to have a burgeoning presence, which appears to mark a shift from previous trends. This study focuses on the use of the vernacular voseo and prescriptive tuteo and ustedeo in the linguistic landscape of Colombia’s second largest city. An examination of over 300 samples shows that written voseo has an increasing presence in city government communiqués and a limited presence in other domains. Given Medellín’s recent transformation, this study makes the case that increased prestige in paisa (from Antioquia) culture appears to result in increased prestige for that city’s voseo.
Abstract
Voseo is common in conversations in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, but it is not commonly prescribed for written venues. Currently, voseo appears to have a burgeoning presence, which appears to mark a shift from previous trends. This study focuses on the use of the vernacular voseo and prescriptive tuteo and ustedeo in the linguistic landscape of Colombia’s second largest city. An examination of over 300 samples shows that written voseo has an increasing presence in city government communiqués and a limited presence in other domains. Given Medellín’s recent transformation, this study makes the case that increased prestige in paisa (from Antioquia) culture appears to result in increased prestige for that city’s voseo.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgments ix
- Introduction 1
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Section I: Diachronic change and regional variation
- Voseo and tuteo , the countryside and the city 15
- Pragmatic forces in the evolution of voseo object pronouns from os to te in colonial Spanish 35
- Second person forms of address in New Mexican Spanish, 1687–1936 63
- Sociolinguistic variation and change in Chilean voseo 87
- Forms of address in historical and geographical context 119
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Section II: Pragmatics and dialect contact
- Pragmatic variation in voseo and tuteo negative commands in Argentinian Spanish 127
- Second person singular forms in Cali Colombian Spanish 149
- ¿De dónde sos? 171
- Use and perception of the pronominal trio vos , tú , usted in a Nicaraguan community in Miami, Florida* 197
- Second person forms in social context 233
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Section III: Forms of address, attitudes and identity
- The changing system of Costa Rican pronouns of address 243
- Reconceptualizing identity and context in the deployment of forms of address 267
- Making the case for increased prestige of the vernacular 289
- “Fijáte…sabes que le digo yo” 305
- Forms of address and community identity 325
- Conclusion 335
- Index 341
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgments ix
- Introduction 1
-
Section I: Diachronic change and regional variation
- Voseo and tuteo , the countryside and the city 15
- Pragmatic forces in the evolution of voseo object pronouns from os to te in colonial Spanish 35
- Second person forms of address in New Mexican Spanish, 1687–1936 63
- Sociolinguistic variation and change in Chilean voseo 87
- Forms of address in historical and geographical context 119
-
Section II: Pragmatics and dialect contact
- Pragmatic variation in voseo and tuteo negative commands in Argentinian Spanish 127
- Second person singular forms in Cali Colombian Spanish 149
- ¿De dónde sos? 171
- Use and perception of the pronominal trio vos , tú , usted in a Nicaraguan community in Miami, Florida* 197
- Second person forms in social context 233
-
Section III: Forms of address, attitudes and identity
- The changing system of Costa Rican pronouns of address 243
- Reconceptualizing identity and context in the deployment of forms of address 267
- Making the case for increased prestige of the vernacular 289
- “Fijáte…sabes que le digo yo” 305
- Forms of address and community identity 325
- Conclusion 335
- Index 341
