Codeswitching on the Web: English and Jamaican Creole in E-mail Communication (Pragmatics & Beyond, Issn 0922-842x)

Based on a corpus of private email from Jamaican university students, this study explores the discourse functions of Jamaican Creole in computer-mediated communication. From this participant-centered perspective, it contributes to the longstanding theoretical debates in creole studies about the creole continuum. The book will likewise be useful to students of computer-mediated communication, the use and development of non-standardized languages, language ecology, and codeswitching. The central methodological issue in this study is codeswitching in written language, a neglected area of study at the moment since most literature in codeswitching research is based on spoken data. The three analytical chapters present the data in a critical discussion of established and more recent theoretical approaches to codeswitching. Fields that will benefit from this book include interactional sociolinguistics, creole studies, English as a world language, computer-mediated discourse analysis, and linguistic anthropology. Based On A Corpus Of Private Email From Jamaican University Students, This Study Explores The Discourse Functions Of Jamaican Creole In Computer-mediated Communication. From This Participant-centered Perspective, It Contributes To The Longstanding Theoretical Debates In Creole Studies About The Creole Continuum. The Book Will Likewise Be Useful To Students Of Computer-mediated Communication, The Use And Development Of Non-standardized Languages, Language Ecology, And Codeswitching. Fields That Will Benefit From This Book Include Interactional Sociolinguistics, Creole Studies, English As A World Language, Computer-mediated Discourse Analysis, And Linguistic Anthropology.--jacket. Introduction -- 1.1 An Oral Language In A Written Medium -- 1.2 Outline Of The Study -- 1.3 Background -- 1.3.1 Jamaican Sociolinguistics -- 1.3.1.1 Research On Codes And Their Functions In Jamaica -- 1.3.1.2 Changing Cs Behavior In Jamaica -- 1.3.1.3 English And Patois In The Jamaican Diaspora -- 1.3.2 Defining E-mail As A Text Type -- 1.3.2.1 Fascination With The Hybridity Of Cmc Language -- 1.4 The Data: Compilation And Structure Of The Corpus -- 1.4.1 The Primary Corpus -- 1.4.2 The Secondary Corpus -- 1.5 Methodology -- The Creole Continuum And Cmc -- 2.1 Is The Creole Continuum Reflected In Jamaican Cmc? -- 2.2 Has A New Variety Of Jamaican English Evolved In Cmc? -- How The Situation Determines Code Choice: A Simple, Almost One-to-one Relationship? -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Situational Codeswitching In The Corpus Giving Contextualization Cues How Writers Provide Context Information Through Code Choice -- 4.1 'metaphorical Codeswitching' In Gumperz's Model. 4.2 'we' And 'they': Sequential Aspects Of Switching For Contextualization Cues -- 4.3 Summary -- Codeswitching And Identity: How Writers Describe Themselves Through Code Choice -- 5.1 Recent Theoretical Developments In Sociolinguistics And Discourse Studies -- 5.2 Acts Of Identity: Convergence As Identification, Divergence As Distinction -- 5.3 Social Personae As Resources In Identity Construction -- 5.3.1 Performativity In Discourse -- 5.3.2 The Data: Identity Work Employing Cs -- 5.3.3 Summary -- 5.4 Cs In Narrative Summary Of The Analysis And Discussion Conclusions -- 7.1 The Changing Functions Of An Old Language In A New Medium -- 7.2 Comparing Creole Use In The Jamaican Diaspora And In Cmc -- 7.3 Advances In The Study Of English As A World Language -- 7.4 Relevance For Cmc Studies -- References -- Appendix -- 1. Anonymization Of The Primary Corpus -- 2. The Primary Corpus Data. Lars Hinrichs. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Acknowledgements Abbreviations 1. Introduction 2. The creole continuum and CMC 3. How the situation determines code choice – a "simple, almost one-to-one relationship" 4. Giving contextualization cues: How writers provide context information through code choice 5. Codeswitching and identity: How writers describe themselves through code choice 6. Summary of the analysis and discussion 7. Conclusions References Appendix Notes Index