34.721, Calls: Calls: Sociolinguistics / Asian Languages and Linguistics (Jrnl)

Thu Mar 2 15:05:02 UTC 2023

LINGUIST List: Vol-34-721. Thu Mar 02 2023. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 34.721, Calls: Calls: Sociolinguistics / Asian Languages and Linguistics (Jrnl)

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Date: 
From: Ralf Vollmann [vollmanr at gmail.com]
Subject: Sociolinguistics / Asian Languages and Linguistics (Jrnl)

Call for Proposals:

Special Issue "Literacy & vernaculars in South-East Asia"

Dear Colleagues,

South-East Asia is a huge linguistic area known for multilingualism
and linguistic diversity; however, with the formation of modern,
independent states, like in most other areas of the world, national
standard languages (and varying language policies) have been
introduced which diminish the use of smaller nonstandard languages.
Furthermore, global languages such as English, Malay and Chinese are
not only used as non-standard linguae francae, but are increasingly
transmitted in L2 education as indispensable tools for every modern
society. This change from ‘natural’ language learning out of practical
necessity to ‘organised’ L2 education in global and national
languages naturally removes functional domains from the smaller
languages which are substantially weakened or given up.

It seems that the existing literature on the matter either describes
national policies of learning standard languages or the situation of
minority languages. This special issue would like to collect
information on ‘how exactly’ the linguistic situation of (urban)
multilingual speakers represents itself today, and which directions
the development seems to take (language maintenance or shift). This
endeavour does not distinguish between autochthonous minorities and
(relatively) more recent allochthonous groups which arise due to
increased migration movements since the 20th century, or 'dialects'
which are 'integrated' into a new standard language (and possibly
given up) – leading to "superdiversity", the "roofing over" by
standard languages, and then, to a decrease of linguistic diversity.
Such language planning also interferes with well-established
convergences between contact languages which are now separated again
through independent standards (e.g., Malay/Indonesian vs. Spoken
Malay vernaculars; Singaporean English vs. Standard English).

Such developments are closely connected to the cultural changes in the
last decades, with mass media, mixed marriages, wider communicative
needs, especially the importance of literacy and globalised
communication – areas where smaller languages cannot thrive.

For various reasons, such developments may clash with "cultural
identities" which are often correlated with smaller-language
competence, and therefore may trigger efforts of “language
preservation” which, however, cannot ultimately override the
practical communicative needs of the modern society. In the case of
languages with a strong basis outside of the area in question (e.g.,
among overseas Chinese), a switch from vernaculars to a foreign
standard may be observed, thereby preserving the cultural identity to
some degree. In many cases, the language simply can no longer serve to
verify group identity – but they may give rise to ethnolects
(varieties of a larger language spoken by a specific group).

This special issue will provide an array of descriptions of local
developments in order to compare the ways this linguistic transition
takes place (or not), and which circumstances accelerate or
decelerate such developments. It will document for South-East Asia
what has been described extensively for, e.g., European minority
languages (and dialects).

I hope that the edition could be done during 2023, appearing in 2024.
Please contact me by email (vollmanr at gmail.com), if you think about
contributing. I will then ask for an abstract within a month or so. –
Looking forward to receiving your proposals!

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LINGUIST List: Vol-34-721
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