Talking In Context: Language And Identity In Kwakwa̲ka̲'wakw Society Language And Identity In Kwakwa̲ka̲'wakw Society

Talking in Context demonstrates the importance of cultural contact on the structure of languages and addresses the socio-cultural aspects of indigenous language use in the modern world. Goodfellow's analysis of linguistic data from three generations of Kwak'wala speakers shows that English has greatly influenced grammar and phonology. Even though Kwak'wala is being replaced by English as the language of communication, Goodfellow found that speakers with varying degrees of fluency use the native language tactically to signal Kwak'wala identity and for ceremony. "In this unique study of the relationship between language - and the erosion of a language - and cultural identity in heritage-language communities, Anne Marie Goodfellow grounds her discussion in current theory on the nature of language and identity and in comparisons from around the globe. Building her case with detailed examples from one Canadian language community, she concludes that K[superscript w]ak'[superscript w]ala is surviving as a reduced purpose language for expressing identity and enacting ceremony."--Résumé de l'éditeur "In this unique study of the relationship between language - and the erosion of a language - and cultural identity in heritage-language communities, Anne Marie Goodfellow grounds her discussion in current theory on the nature of language and identity and in comparisons from around the globe. Building her case with detailed examples from one Canadian language community, she concludes that K[superscript w]ak'[superscript w]ala is surviving as a reduced purpose language for expressing identity and enacting ceremony."--BOOK JACKET 1. Introduction:language Use Adn Identity -- 2. A Theoretical Approach To The Study Of Language, Culture, And Identity -- 3. History Of Contact In The Kwakwaka'wakw Region -- 4. Grammatical, Phonological, And Lexical Changes To Kwakwala -- 5. Language Use In Context -- 6. Conclusion: Continuity And Change In Language Use. Anne Marie Goodfellow. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [203]-215) And Index.