Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics
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Browsing Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics by Subject "Language"
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Item Open Access Language and Identity: Perceptions and Ideologies of Calabrese in Toronto(2023-08) McGunnigle, Liam; Hoffman, MicholThe Calabrese community of Toronto is one of the most robustly represented regional groups within the Italian diasporic community in Toronto and the GTA from its origins in the early to mid-20th century (Hagan & Rando 2007; Sinopoli 2003). Despite the size of the community, the Calabrese variety has been falling out of usage as the community shifts from multilingualism to English monolingualism across generations. It is crucial to study such speech communities as language loss becomes a potential reality (Nagy 2017). This paper is concerned with the relationship between language and identity as it pertains to the language attitudes of Italian-Canadians. Throughout this paper, I will address questions centralizing the linguistic features which index a Calabrese identity, the ways in which these markers serve to differentiate regional groups of Italians, and the interaction between language ideologies and attitudes towards regional groups. By addressing such questions, I aim to develop a deeper understanding of the community and their perception of regional language variation. In doing so, I will be contributing to ongoing documentation of regional varieties of Italian that are falling out of usage in the diasporic setting.Item Open Access Language Attitudes of the Mongolian Diaspora in Canada(2024) Ganbaatar, Minjee; Kettig, Thomas; Hoffman, Michol F.The Mongolian diaspora in Canada is relatively recent with the majority of migration occurring after the implementation of the 2001 Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Previous research on minority languages and dominant languages among immigrant communities demonstrates complex relationships between language attitudes and identity formation (Canagarajah, 2013; Lustanski, 2009). However, while studies exist on various immigrant communities' language attitudes in Canada, the Mongolian diaspora's linguistic dynamics remain unexplored. This study investigates the effects of age, residency duration, and socio-economic factors on language attitudes among Mongolian Canadians, examining how these variables influence the construction of their identity in various social settings. The study uses quantitative analysis of survey data collected from 30 first-generation Mongolian immigrants in Canada, representing 2% of the total Mongolian diaspora population. The survey examines language attitudes across multiple domains: social solidarity, occupation, education, media consumption, and domain-specific usage. For example, the data reveals a clear pattern where older immigrants maintain stronger connections to their heritage language, particularly in home and social settings, while younger immigrants prefer English (see Table 6.1). Results reveal three key findings: First, the participants exhibit what Fishman (1977) terms "folk bilingualism," where the Mongolian language exists alongside English as a minority language with lower social status but a strong cultural connection. Second, unlike Polish-Canadians studied by Lustanski (2009), who view their mother tongue as less critical when not threatened in their homeland, Mongolian-Canadians maintain a strong attachment to their mother tongue despite its minority status. Third, similar to Canagarajah's (2013) findings with Tamil families, Mongolian-Canadians demonstrate fluid identity construction, with 43% of families using both languages in parent-child communication, as well as 54% of them reporting using both languages with friends.