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Descriptors:
Caregiver Speech; Child Language; Creoles; English; Ethnography; Foreign Countries; French; Language Acquisition; Language Patterns; Language Research; Language Role; Multilingualism; Socialization
Abstract:
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)
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