Startseite Language Choice and Researcher’s Stance in a Multilingual Ethnographic Fieldwork
Artikel
Lizenziert
Nicht lizenziert Erfordert eine Authentifizierung

Language Choice and Researcher’s Stance in a Multilingual Ethnographic Fieldwork

  • Lídia Gallego-Balsà EMAIL logo
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 13. April 2018
Veröffentlichen auch Sie bei De Gruyter Brill

Abstract

In bilingual settings language choice represents one of the main resources individuals have to construct their identities. According to Jaffe (2009), it is also a way in which individuals position themselves towards the languages of the sociolinguistic context. However, in the context of researching multilingual settings, very little attention has been paid to how the researcher’s language choice(s) interact with the participants’ language choices, and how the linguistic features that s/he activates contribute to the construction of the researcher’s identity and her/his stance towards the languages of the sociolinguistic matrix within which the research is embedded. This paper is based in the context of Catalonia and explores how the researcher projects and is ascribed a stance as a consequence of her own linguistic practices. First, it shows that these practices lead to the construction of relationships of (dis)affiliation between the researcher and the participants, which ultimately influence the type of data collected. Second, it suggests that language choice is an essential lens through which to look at the researcher’s positionality in multilingual settings and provide more transparent accounts of multilingual ethnographic research.

Funding statement: This work was supported by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Funder Id: 10.13039/501100003329), (Grant Number: FFI2015-67769-P)

References

Anderson, P. H., L. Lawton, R. J. Rexeisen & A. C. Hubbard. 2006. Short-term study abroad and intercultural sensitivity: A pilot study. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 30(4). 457–469.10.1016/j.ijintrel.2005.10.004Suche in Google Scholar

Blackledge, A. & A. Creese. 2010. Multilingualism: A critical perspective. London: Continuum.Suche in Google Scholar

Block, D. 2007. Second language identities. London: Routledge.Suche in Google Scholar

Cots, J. M. 2008. International universities in bilingual communities (Catalonia, Basque Country and Wales): A research project. In H. Haberland, J. Mortensen, A. Fabricius, B. Preisler, K. Risager & K. Kjaerbeck (eds.), Higher education in the global village, Roskilde: Roskilde University.Suche in Google Scholar

Cots, J. M., D. Lasagabaster & P. Garret. 2012. Multilingual policies and practices of universities in three bilingual regions in Europe. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 21(6). 7–32.10.1515/ijsl-2012-0037Suche in Google Scholar

Gallego-Balsà, L. 2014. Internationalisation and Language policy: The case of international students at a Catalan university. Lleida: University of Lleida. PhD thesis.Suche in Google Scholar

Generalitat de Catalunya. 2009. Encomana el Català. http://www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/Llengcat/menuitem.b318de7236aed0e7a129d410b0c0e1a0/?vgnextoid=57f7991cf146f110VgnVCM1000008d0c1e0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=57f7991cf146f110VgnVCM1000008d0c1e0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=defaultSuche in Google Scholar

Generalitat de Catalunya. 2010. Informe de Política Lingüística. http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/Llengcat/Documents/Informe%20de%20politica%20linguistica/Arxius/IPL2010.pdfSuche in Google Scholar

Giampapa, F. & S. Lamoureux. 2011. Voices from the field: Identity, language and power in multilingual research settings. Journal of Language, Identity and Education 10(3). 127–131.10.1080/15348458.2011.585301Suche in Google Scholar

Heller, M. 2008. Doing Ethnography. In Li Wei & Melissa G Moyer (eds.), The Blackwell Guide to research methods in bilingualism and multilingualism, 249–262. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN: 978-1-4051-7900-310.1002/9781444301120.ch14Suche in Google Scholar

Holmes, P., R. Fay, J. Andrews & M. Attia. 2013. Researching multilingually: New theoretical and methodological directions. International Journal of Applied Linguistics 23(3). 285–299.10.1111/ijal.12038Suche in Google Scholar

Idescat. 2013. Usos Lingüísitics. Llengua inicial, d’identificació i habitual. http://www.idescat.cat/economia/inec?tc=3&id=da01Suche in Google Scholar

Jaffe, A. 1999. Ideologies in action: Language politics on Corsica. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.10.1515/9783110801064Suche in Google Scholar

Jaffe, A. 2009. Stance: Sociolinguistic perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press.10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195331646.001.0001Suche in Google Scholar

Jaffe, A. 2009b. Stance in a Corsican School. In A. Jaffe (ed.), Stance: Sociolinguistic perspectives, 119–145. New York: Oxford University Press.10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195331646.003.0006Suche in Google Scholar

Llurda, E. 2013. Polítiques lingüístiques i actituds cap a l’anglès com a llengua franca. Simposium organised by the Catalan Sociolinguistics Initiative, 4th October 2013. Lleida: University of Lleida.Suche in Google Scholar

Mullings, B. 1999. Insider or outsider, both or neither: Some dilemmas of interviewing in a cross-cultural setting. Geoforum 30(4). 337–350.10.1016/S0016-7185(99)00025-1Suche in Google Scholar

Pujolar, J. 2007. Bilingualism and the nation-state in the post-national era. In M. Heller (ed.), Bilingualism: A social approach, 71–95. New York: Palgrave.10.1057/9780230596047_4Suche in Google Scholar

Pujolar, J. 2010. Immigration and language education in Catalonia: Between national and social agendas. Linguistics and Education 21. 229–243.10.1016/j.linged.2009.10.004Suche in Google Scholar

Pujolar, J. 2011. Catalan-Spanish language contact in social interaction. In L. Payrató and J.M. Cots (eds.), The Pragmatics of Catalan, 361–386. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.10.1515/9783110238693.361Suche in Google Scholar

Woolard, K. 1989. Double talk: Bilingualism and the politics of ethnicity in Catalonia. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.10.1515/9781503624443Suche in Google Scholar

Woolard, K. & S. Frekko. 2013. Catalan in the twenty-first century: Romantic publics and cosmopolitan communities. International Journal of Bilingualism and Bilingual Education 16. 129–137.10.1080/13670050.2012.720663Suche in Google Scholar

Transcription conventions

:

long sound

shift to high pitch

shift to low pitch

rise

fall

latching

uptake

top begin overlap

top end overlap

botton begin overlap

bottom end overlap

faster

slower

°

softer

louder

smile voice

[word]

missing word

[…]

text omitted

[laughs]

description of communicative features that accompany language

[text]

explanation of the researcher

(.)

pause of less than one second

(1.5)

pause of one second and a half

Published Online: 2018-04-13
Published in Print: 2020-05-26

© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Heruntergeladen am 24.9.2025 von https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/applirev-2017-0121/html
Button zum nach oben scrollen