Documentation of pragmatics and metapragmatics
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Susan M. Burt
Abstract
The pragmatics of minority languages are vulnerable to change early in language shift, and should therefore be included in language documentation. To research language shift and pragmatic change, 30 speakers of Hmong were interviewed in Wisconsin, using an oral Discourse Completion Task. Responses show that influence from Anglo-American pragmatics has affected younger speakers’ usage in Hmong; usage differences between the generations fall into three categories: sociopragmatic change, pragmalinguistic change, and metapragmatic change. Each of these may have an effect on intergenerational interaction, and thus, on conditions for intergenerational transmission. Pragmatics and metapragmatics matter because ordinary speakers, who construct their social worlds through linguistic interaction, may treasure tools that allow them to do so – pragmatic resources of their language.
Abstract
The pragmatics of minority languages are vulnerable to change early in language shift, and should therefore be included in language documentation. To research language shift and pragmatic change, 30 speakers of Hmong were interviewed in Wisconsin, using an oral Discourse Completion Task. Responses show that influence from Anglo-American pragmatics has affected younger speakers’ usage in Hmong; usage differences between the generations fall into three categories: sociopragmatic change, pragmalinguistic change, and metapragmatic change. Each of these may have an effect on intergenerational interaction, and thus, on conditions for intergenerational transmission. Pragmatics and metapragmatics matter because ordinary speakers, who construct their social worlds through linguistic interaction, may treasure tools that allow them to do so – pragmatic resources of their language.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors ix
- Preface xiii
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Part 1. Praxis and values
- Language documentation 3
- The linguist’s responsibilities to the community of speakers 25
- Language documentation 37
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Part 2. Adequacy in documentation
- Adequacy in documentation 51
- Necessary and sufficient data collection 67
- Documenting different genres of oral narrative in Cora (Uto-Aztecan) 75
- Constructing adequate language documentation for multifaceted cross-linguistic data 89
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Part 3. Documentation technology
- Valuing technology 111
- Using the E-MELD School of Best Practices to create lasting digital documentation 133
- Sharing data in small and endangered languages 147
- Representing minority languages and cultures on the World Wide Web 159
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Part 4. Models of successful collaborations
- Beyond expertise 173
- Models of successful collaboration 193
- Working with language communities in unarchiving 213
- Saving languages, saving lives 221
- Language documentation in the Tohono O’odham community 231
- Documentation of pragmatics and metapragmatics 241
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Part 5. Training and careers in field linguistics
- Training graduate students and community members for native language documentation 255
- Native speakers as documenters 275
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part 6. Conclusion
- Language documentation and field linguistics 289
- Selected online resources 311
- Name index 315
- General index 337
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors ix
- Preface xiii
-
Part 1. Praxis and values
- Language documentation 3
- The linguist’s responsibilities to the community of speakers 25
- Language documentation 37
-
Part 2. Adequacy in documentation
- Adequacy in documentation 51
- Necessary and sufficient data collection 67
- Documenting different genres of oral narrative in Cora (Uto-Aztecan) 75
- Constructing adequate language documentation for multifaceted cross-linguistic data 89
-
Part 3. Documentation technology
- Valuing technology 111
- Using the E-MELD School of Best Practices to create lasting digital documentation 133
- Sharing data in small and endangered languages 147
- Representing minority languages and cultures on the World Wide Web 159
-
Part 4. Models of successful collaborations
- Beyond expertise 173
- Models of successful collaboration 193
- Working with language communities in unarchiving 213
- Saving languages, saving lives 221
- Language documentation in the Tohono O’odham community 231
- Documentation of pragmatics and metapragmatics 241
-
Part 5. Training and careers in field linguistics
- Training graduate students and community members for native language documentation 255
- Native speakers as documenters 275
-
part 6. Conclusion
- Language documentation and field linguistics 289
- Selected online resources 311
- Name index 315
- General index 337
