Urban youth accents in France
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Cyril Trimaille
Abstract
Following previous studies on the production and perception of a type of accent commonly known in France as “accent de banlieue” (Vernet and Trimaille 2007; Devilla and Trimaille 2010; Trimaille, Candea and Lehka-Lemarchand 2012), we suggest that the emblematic palatalization of /t/ and /d/ is not specific to young urban people. We also examine how stereotypical uses in the media display this feature and contribute to its iconization (Irvine and Gal 2000). The complex dynamics of a potential phonetic change requires a mixed-method methodology, which provides partially contradictory results, and addresses complex methodological issues in the field of sociophonetics. We, therefore, develop a pragmatic and critical perspective about indexical relations that link social and linguistic categories, and in so doing, we highlight that such an unstable linguistic category can only provide an illusion of stability, mainly because it relies on stable social categorizations.
Abstract
Following previous studies on the production and perception of a type of accent commonly known in France as “accent de banlieue” (Vernet and Trimaille 2007; Devilla and Trimaille 2010; Trimaille, Candea and Lehka-Lemarchand 2012), we suggest that the emblematic palatalization of /t/ and /d/ is not specific to young urban people. We also examine how stereotypical uses in the media display this feature and contribute to its iconization (Irvine and Gal 2000). The complex dynamics of a potential phonetic change requires a mixed-method methodology, which provides partially contradictory results, and addresses complex methodological issues in the field of sociophonetics. We, therefore, develop a pragmatic and critical perspective about indexical relations that link social and linguistic categories, and in so doing, we highlight that such an unstable linguistic category can only provide an illusion of stability, mainly because it relies on stable social categorizations.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- The pragmatics of accents 1
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Part 1. Ideologies of accents in national contexts
- Attitudes to accents 19
- Urban youth accents in France 41
- Encountering accented others – and selves – in provincial Japan 63
- ‘Could I have an appointment for a viewing?’ 85
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Part 2. Accents in second language education teaching and learning
- The pragmatic force of second language accent in education 117
- A lack of phonological inherentness 141
- English-language attitudes and identities in Spain 163
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Part 3. Accents in the media and the workplace
- From I’m the One That I Want to Kim’s Convenience 189
- Divine intervention 205
- In the ear of the beholder 229
-
Concluding remarks
- From sound to social meaning 247
- Index 263
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- The pragmatics of accents 1
-
Part 1. Ideologies of accents in national contexts
- Attitudes to accents 19
- Urban youth accents in France 41
- Encountering accented others – and selves – in provincial Japan 63
- ‘Could I have an appointment for a viewing?’ 85
-
Part 2. Accents in second language education teaching and learning
- The pragmatic force of second language accent in education 117
- A lack of phonological inherentness 141
- English-language attitudes and identities in Spain 163
-
Part 3. Accents in the media and the workplace
- From I’m the One That I Want to Kim’s Convenience 189
- Divine intervention 205
- In the ear of the beholder 229
-
Concluding remarks
- From sound to social meaning 247
- Index 263
