There is a contemporary caricature, that describes the problem of an own language between Germany and France fairly good. On a roof, there are the French Cockerel, the Alsatian Stork in the middle and the German Eagle. Both the French and the German bird are attempting to make the stork speak their language. After the stork struggles to speak these languages, the neighbours become impatient and louder. The Alsatian bird finally cries: ‘Mir langst jetz mit ejch zwei, nundediawle! Ich redd wie mir de Schnawel gewachse isch!’
Situated at the French border to Germany, the Alsace is a region where also the linguistic border in between German and French can be found. As it used to belong to both Germany and France at certain points in its history, an interesting situation of language use and contact has evolved over the last centuries. In France its 1.8 million inhabitants are often referred to as Germans, even though it is part of France and in spite of the fact, that the official language is French since Alsace-Lorraine has been handed back to France after World War 2. Nevertheless an Upper German dialect called Alsatian (Elsässerditsch) is still spoken there.
Table of Contents
2 Introduction
3 The linguistic situation in Alsace with a historical perspective
4 Theory
4.1 Language Contact
4.2 Code-switching
5 Code-switching in Alsace
6 Conclusion
7 References
Research Objectives and Themes
This term paper examines the current sociolinguistic status and potential future of the Alsatian dialect by analyzing the phenomenon of code-switching in everyday social interactions.
- Historical and political development of Alsace
- Sociolinguistic landscape and language contact theory
- Linguistic mechanisms of code-switching
- Analysis of communicative dialogues in Alsace
- Future prospects of the Alsatian dialect
Excerpt from the Book
Code-switching in Alsace
The fact that the customer starts in Alsation right away, without checking if the salesperson actually speaks it, expressly underlines that they know each other and each other’s linguistic competences in this context. In this case Code-switching does not stand in any relation to problems of understanding. In fact they switch between Alsatian and French so frequently that no basic language can be recognized. This language choice appears as the situation is not really a private one despite their acquaintance and the local context. Vassberg suspects that the presence of the customer’s daughter is responsible for the quite formal talk of the salesperson. In addition French is more prestigious in Alsace and thus women generally tend to use the higher language or variety. (cf. Vassberg 1993: 77)
The salesperson begins the conversation with the French salutation “Mesdames”. It could be argued that this counts as a language choice as it could also be considered as a French loan word in Alsatian. French is always the language of salutation because there are many monolingual French speakers but no monolingual Alsatian speakers. (cf. Vassberg 1993: 72) As a result of this, even conservative Alsatian speakers use French salutations like the assistant in Dialogue 1. The customer on the other hand replies with a sentence that shows German structure. In it she makes a lexical switch using ‘échine’ (spare rib) which is associated with the French cuisine culture.
Summary of Chapters
2 Introduction: Presents the linguistic landscape of Alsace and outlines the research objective regarding the future of the Alsatian dialect through the lens of code-switching.
3 The linguistic situation in Alsace with a historical perspective: Explores the historical shifts in Alsace and the socio-economic factors that have led to the increasing francophonisation and the decline of the local dialect.
4 Theory: Defines fundamental concepts including language contact and the sociolinguistic mechanics of code-switching.
4.1 Language Contact: Discusses how languages and dialects interact, particularly in bilingual border regions, influencing one another through extralinguistic factors.
4.2 Code-switching: Examines code-switching as a rule-governed communicative strategy rather than an indicator of linguistic incompetence.
5 Code-switching in Alsace: Analyzes two specific dialogues to illustrate how situational and metaphorical code-switching functions in real-world Alsatian interactions.
6 Conclusion: Summarizes the precarious state of the Alsatian dialect and argues that without systemic intervention, the dialect faces extinction within two generations.
7 References: Lists the academic sources and theoretical frameworks cited throughout the paper.
Keywords
Alsace, Alsatian, Code-switching, Language contact, Bilingualism, Sociolinguistics, Dialect preservation, French, German, Linguistic erosion, Communication strategy, Regional identity, Language policy, Multilingualism, Linguistic behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper investigates the sociolinguistic vitality of the Alsatian dialect and how it interacts with the dominant French language through the practice of code-switching.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The study covers the historical evolution of the region, the theoretical framework of language contact, and the practical application of code-switching in social dialogues.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to determine if the Alsatian dialect has a viable future by analyzing how speakers use code-switching in their daily lives.
Which methodology is employed?
The paper utilizes a sociolinguistic analysis of documented dialogues, comparing them against established theories of language contact and code-switching.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body details the historical context of Alsace, defines the theoretical bases of code-switching, and performs a qualitative analysis of two specific conversational transcripts.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include Alsace, Alsatian, Code-switching, Language contact, Bilingualism, and Sociolinguistics.
How does the author interpret the role of French salutations in the dialogues?
The author argues that French salutations function as highly ritualized social markers, even among fluent Alsatian speakers, due to the prestige and dominance of the French language.
What is the significance of the dialogue analysis in the paper?
The analysis demonstrates that code-switching is not just a sign of bilingualism, but a complex tool for negotiating social identity and reacting to the dominance of French in public spheres.
What is the author's final outlook on the Alsatian dialect?
The author expresses a pessimistic view, concluding that without active preservation efforts by the government or population, the dialect will likely become extinct within two generations.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2013, Elsässerditsch. On the brink of extinction!?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/267373
