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samenvatting readings culture and language of latin-america
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Summary of 41 pages for the course Culture and Language: Latin America at UL (grade: 9,0)
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CULTURE AND LANGUAGE READINGS WEEK 2Introduction: Challenges in Evaluating Code-Switching Theories
KEY POINTS
Definition of Code-Switching (CS):
● CS involves speakers switching between languages within a conversation.
● It can occur inter-clausally (between clauses) or intra-clausally (within the
same clause).
Structural Constraints on CS:
● Initially perceived as an "irregular mixture," CS is now widely accepted as
rule-governed behavior.
● There are proposed structural constraints determining where CS is
allowed or disallowed.
Value of CS Data:
● CS data is crucial for understanding mental grammars and refining
grammatical theory.
● Allows the examination of formal properties hidden in a single language.
Theoretical Approaches:
● Various theories explaining CS structure can be categorized into those
positing additional mechanisms and those that do not.
● Examples include code-switching constraints, constraint-free theories, the
Matrix Language Framework, and socio-cognitive approaches.
Historical Evolution of Approaches:
● Constraint-based approaches in the 1980s faced contradictions and later
reformulation.
● The "null" view emerged, suggesting no specific structural restrictions on
CS.
● The Matrix Language Framework introduced the idea of asymmetrical
involvement of participating languages.
Challenges in Theoretical Convergence:
● Little cross-fertilization between CS theories has been observed.
● Challenges include the absence of community norms in theoretical models
and difficulties in adjudicating between findings from different
methodologies.
,Challenge 1: Role of Community Norms
Importance of Community Norms:
● The role of local speech practices is underrepresented in CS research.
● Acquisition of CS patterns may reflect community practices.
Cognitive Bias and Neglect:
● The neglect of community norms demonstrates a "cognitive bias" in
linguistic research.
● Overcoming this bias requires systematic cross-community comparisons.
Challenge 2: Comparing Results Across Methodologies
Reliability Issues:
● Frequency distributions of CS structures in naturalistic data have not
reliably differentiated between theoretical accounts.
● Conflicting results from naturalistic and experimental studies raise
concerns about methodological reliability.
Importance of Multimethod Comparative Approach:
● Systematizing corpus-building and combining methodologies are essential for
understanding CS.
● Converging data from different methodologies can investigate community-specific
and universal tendencies in CS.
Focus Areas for Comparative Approach:
● The paper will focus on three CS phenomena: asymmetries in language and
gender, relative order of adjective and nouns (conflict sites), and the creation of
mixed language verbs.
The introduction outlines challenges in evaluating CS theories, the historical evolution of
approaches, and emphasizes the importance of community norms and multimethod
comparative approaches to advance the field.
Asymmetries in the DP
KEY POINTS
2.1 Language of the Determiner
Asymmetry in Nominal Constructions:
● Spanish-English code-switching exhibits an asymmetry where mixed
constructions with a Spanish determiner are more common than those
with an English determiner.
● The grammatical features spell-out hypothesis suggests a preference for
the determiner with more uninterpretable features.
Matrix Language and Determiner Interaction:
● The Bilingual NP Hypothesis predicts that determiners in mixed
constructions come from the matrix language of the clause.
, ● Studies find that the language of the determiner matches the matrix
language, supporting the Bilingual NP Hypothesis.
Cross-Language and Cross-Community Studies:
● Studies in various language pairs (Spanish-English, Welsh-English,
Papiamento-Dutch) show a preference for determiners from the matrix
language.
● Preferences vary across communities, suggesting social factors influence
the asymmetry.
Acceptability Judgments:
● Acceptability judgments confirm the match between the language of the
determiner and the matrix language.
● Community variations in matrix language choice indicate social factors
play a role in the asymmetry.
2.2 Gender of the Determiner
Gender Marking in Mixed DP:
● If the determiner comes from a gendered language, it must be marked for
gender, while the noun may come from a genderless language.
Default Gender Assignment:
● The default strategy is widespread, with masculine gender predominantly
assigned in mixed constructions.
Other Gender Assignment Strategies:
● Strategies include assignment based on the translation equivalent's
gender and assignment based on the morpho-phonological shape of the
inserted noun.
2.2.1 Acquisition of Gender Assignment Strategies
Variability in Gender Assignment Strategies:
● Bilingual speakers exhibit variability in gender assignment strategies.
● Use of the analogical criterion is consistent among Spanish L1 bilinguals,
suggesting an effect of order of acquisition.
Role of Exposure to Community Norms:
● Asymmetries, like the default strategy, are learned in a community of
code-switchers.
● Bilingual children, as young as seven, show acquisition of both the gender
system and community patterns in code-switching.
Recommendations for Future Research:
● Future research should establish bilingual communicative norms in adults
across communities and then study children's patterns in relation to these
norms.
, ● This approach can provide valuable insights for cross-community
comparisons.
3. Relative Order of Adjective and Nouns (Conflict Sites)
KEY POINTS
Previous Findings:
● Studies have explored the relative order of adjectives and nouns in
code-switching.
● Conflict sites refer to instances where one language prefers a different
order than the other.
Conflict Sites in Spanish-English Code-Switching:
● Conflict sites are observed in Spanish-English code-switching, where
English prefers pre-nominal adjectives, while Spanish prefers
post-nominal adjectives.
Cross-Language and Cross-Community Studies:
● Studies across language pairs (Spanish-English, Welsh-English,
Papiamento-Dutch) reveal variations in the relative order of adjectives and
nouns.
● Community-specific preferences indicate the influence of social factors on
the relative order in conflict sites.
Acceptability Judgments:
● Acceptability judgments confirm that community norms play a role in
determining preferred order at conflict sites.
● Social factors contribute to variations in adjective-noun order preferences.
Role of Exposure to Community Norms:
● Asymmetries in adjective-noun order are shaped by exposure to
community norms.
● Bilingual children exhibit patterns consistent with community norms,
indicating early acquisition of these structures.
Recommendations for Future Research:
● Future research should focus on establishing communicative norms in
adults across communities and studying children's patterns in relation to
these norms.
● Understanding the role of community norms in shaping linguistic
structures will contribute to a comprehensive analysis of code-switching
phenomena.
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