Module 2: Language and Community
MODULE 2: LANGUAGE AND COMMUNITY
The West Indies coincides with the following territories of the Commonwealth Caribbean: Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla and Montserrat.
(a) Differentiation between ‘language’ (generic) and ‘a language’ (individual).
Language is an ability which every normal human being has and it allows him not only to communicate with other human beings but also with himself. It facilitates the transmission of ideas, emotions and desires from individual to individual. It is external in the form of sound and symbols and internal as mental activity. ‘West Indians and their Language’ means West Indians and their ability to communicate ideas, emotions and desires and their ability to think.
A Language refers to one recognisable, identifiable language used by one or more communities of speakers. Recognition of the language is dependent on linguistic similarities and is dependent on cultural and historical identity.
(b) Variation (changes in language in response to various influences, for example, social, geographic, individual, group factors).
The development of the language in the West Indies has been completely dominated by the structure of the society, which in turn has been dominated by slavery, the plantation system and more recently by political independence.
Factors that militate (have force or effect) against stability and homogeneous language development:
1. A high mortality rate in all sectors of the population.
2. Imported labour
3. Changes in colonial administration in most territories
4. Attempts at revolt and escape
5. Post-emancipation increase in migration between territories
6. The post-emancipation influx of new arrivals from Asia.
The rigid social structure has produced language differences between all West Indian Territories.
1. Barbados and Jamaica: • Under British Colonial Rule
The West Indies coincides with the following territories of the Commonwealth Caribbean: Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla and Montserrat.
(a) Differentiation between ‘language’ (generic) and ‘a language’ (individual).
Language is an ability which every normal human being has and it allows him not only to communicate with other human beings but also with himself. It facilitates the transmission of ideas, emotions and desires from individual to individual. It is external in the form of sound and symbols and internal as mental activity. ‘West Indians and their Language’ means West Indians and their ability to communicate ideas, emotions and desires and their ability to think.
A Language refers to one recognisable, identifiable language used by one or more communities of speakers. Recognition of the language is dependent on linguistic similarities and is dependent on cultural and historical identity.
(b) Variation (changes in language in response to various influences, for example, social, geographic, individual, group factors).
The development of the language in the West Indies has been completely dominated by the structure of the society, which in turn has been dominated by slavery, the plantation system and more recently by political independence.
Factors that militate (have force or effect) against stability and homogeneous language development:
1. A high mortality rate in all sectors of the population.
2. Imported labour
3. Changes in colonial administration in most territories
4. Attempts at revolt and escape
5. Post-emancipation increase in migration between territories
6. The post-emancipation influx of new arrivals from Asia.
The rigid social structure has produced language differences between all West Indian Territories.
1. Barbados and Jamaica: • Under British Colonial Rule