How language shapes and is shaped by identity is a key topic within sociolinguistics. An individuals identity is constituted through a variety of different factors, including the social, cultural and ethnic contexts, and issues such as bi- or multilingualism. In this introduction to Language, Culture and Identity Philip Riley looks at these issues against the theoretical background of the sociology of knowledge, and ethnolinguistics. He asks; how do we learn who we are, and what are the mechanisms that teach us this? Through an analysis of the importance of culture and interpersonal communication, Riley shows how social identities are negotiated. The second half of the book looks at issues of ethnicity and bilingualism, and the importance of a series of oppositions to others. The idea of the foreigner is central to this account, yet traditional views of the role of being socially other largely neglect the role of language. Riley bridges this gap by examining specific and problematic aspects of multilingual identities. The book concludes by looking at some of the ways in which identities are being reconfigured, with particular reference to the notions of ethos and the communicative virtues. This engaging analysis of language and social identity will be essential reading for students of sociolinguistics at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
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How language shapes and is shaped by identity is a key topic within sociolinguistics. An individual's identity is constituted through a variety of different factors, including the social, linguistic, cultural and ethnic contexts. This book looks at these issues against the theoretical background of the sociology of knowledge, and ethnolinguistics.
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Introduction - The Historical and Theoretical Background; Part I: The Social Knowledge System; 1. Structures and Functions; 2. The Social Learning Process: Intersubjectivity; 3. 'Culture' as Knowledge: Cultural Markers; Part II: Identity; 4. Social Identity: You are what you know; 5. Membershipping Practices, Phatic Communion and Greetings; 6. Rearing Practices; Part III: 'The Stranger'; 7. Ethnicity; 8. Compensation Strategies; 9. Pragmatic Failure; 10. The Bilingual Child and the 'Language Learner'; Part IV: Reconfiguring Identities; 11. Globalisation and Verbal Hygiene; 12. Ethos and the Communicative Virtues; Conclusion.
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Riley's volume provides a detailed and knowledgeable overview of the rich range of literature dealing with identity as a social phenomenon. In addition to providing the reader with an informative survey of the literature on the sociology of identity, the book reminds us of the myriad ways in which we use language to perform acts of identity on a daily basis.
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Examines how language shapes and is shaped by our identity.
Sociolinguistics is a popular option course at undergraduate and postgraduate level
Since the emergence of sociolinguistics as a new field of enquiry in the late 1960s, research into the relationship between language and society has advanced almost beyond recognition. In particular, the past decade has witnessed the considerable influence of theories drawn from outside of sociolinguistics itself. Thus rather than see language as a mere reflection of society, recent work has been increasingly inspired by ideas drawn from social, cultural, and political theory that have emphasised the constitutive role played by language/discourse in all areas of social life. The Advances in Sociolinguistics series seeks to provide a snapshot of the current diversity of the field of sociolinguistics and the blurring of the boundaries between sociolinguistics and other domains of study concerned with the role of language in society.
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780826486295
Publisert
2007-06-23
Utgiver
Vendor
Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
Vekt
440 gr
Høyde
234 mm
Bredde
156 mm
Aldersnivå
UU, UP, 05
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
274

Forfatter

Biographical note

Philip Riley is Emeritus Professor of Ethnolinguistics at the University of Nancy, France.