A study examined language socialization in Dominica (West Indies), focusing on the use of a French-based creole, Patwa, in a situation of linguistic and social change. Despite claims that Patwa is integral to Dominican identity, rural caregivers choose to speak English to language-learning children, contributing to rapid attrition of Patwa. However, Patwa is still valued for intimate conversation among family and friends. Within this context are examined patterns of children’s use of one Patwa affective marker within English speech, the imperative “ga,” a short form of the Patwa verb “gade,” “to look at.” The ethnographic study of six children, aged 2-4 years, was carried out over 12 months in a rural village. Results indicate that while adults use “ga” almost strictly within Patwa utterances as an imperative or interjection to direct the attention of others to something in particular, children’s use of “ga” is pervasively, although not randomly, used. Its use follows the same syntactic constraints as that of adults, but is used for impact and rhetorical force, to introduce new information, indicate a topic shift, or call attention to something or someone. It is used more often in play with peers and siblings than with adults. (MSE) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Language Socialization in a Multilingual Creole Setting: Changing Practices and Ideologies in Dominica, W.I. Amy L. Paugh Anthropology Department, New York University 1 Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics, Stamford, Connecticut, March 9, 1999 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) In Dominica, a French-based creole commonly known as Patwa’ has persisted since early French colonization along with standard and non-standard varieties of English, the official language since British rule. The most “standard” English is spoken in the capital town, while Patwa and varieties of English are spoken throughout the rural village population. Though denigrated by urbanites in the past, Patwa has figured more centrally in the state’s project of building a unified post-colonial nation and revitalizing Dominican culture since Independence in 1978. Yet despite activist claims that Patwa is integral to Dominican identity, caregiVers in rural villages now choose to speak English to language-learning children, contributing to a rapid attrition of Patwa through their everyday interactions. But while they assert that Patwa hinders children’s education and restricts social mobility, they simultaneously value the language for intimate communication among family and friends, and claim it is more “expressive” than English. Children learn these complex ideologies as they learn language, and while they are now acquiring varieties of English as their first language, they nevertheless do manage to acquire some Patwa especially those aspects which have particular affective saliency in their verbal environments from an early age. This paper will discuss the contexts of language socialization in this situation of social and linguistic change, and will then present some preliminary findings on children’s use of one affective marker within their English speech, the imperative ga, a short form of the Patwa verb gade, ‘to look at.’ The paper draws on ethnographic research carried out over 18 months between 1996 andÂ
