LINGUIST List 22.4930 Thu Dec 08 2011 Diss: Anthro Ling/Chinese: Chiang: 'Heritage, History and Identity:...' Editor for this issue: Xiyan Wang <xiyanlinguistlist.org> To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.cfm. Directory         1.     W F Chiang , Heritage, History and Identity: Complexity in language maintenance within multigenerational families Message 1: Heritage, History and Identity: Complexity in language maintenance within multigenerational families Date: 07-Dec-2011 From: W F Chiang <chiangwfgmail.com> Subject: Heritage, History and Identity: Complexity in language maintenance within multigenerational families E-mail this message to a friend Institution: University of Texas at Austin Program: Department of Anthropology Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2009 Author: W F Chiang Dissertation Title: Heritage, History and Identity: Complexity in language maintenance within multigenerational families Linguistic Field(s): Anthropological Linguistics Subject Language(s): Chinese, Mandarin (cmn)                             Chinese, Yue (yue)                             English (eng) Dissertation Director: Elizabeth L Keating Pauline Strong Joel F Sherzer Dissertation Abstract: My dissertation research employs theories that examine the relationship between language and social meaning to look at semiotic processes through which ideologies of differentiation are formed. This dissertation considers language use and heritage language maintenance in four multigenerational families whose ancestral language was a target of elimination by national language policies. Utilizing paradigms for examining the semiotic processes of ideologies of language differentiation, as well as identity formation, this dissertation attempts to untangle the various language ideologies surrounding the different language resources within the ethnic Chinese community in Singapore and examines their effects on identity formation and intergenerational interactions where different language competencies are featured. Linguistic resources in Singapore are legitimized with differentiating attribution of linguistic capital where four official languages are placed higher than the heritage languages, and within the official languages, English is legitimized as the language for business and science, and for use in interethnic communication. Differentiation is constructed among the languages, which then project indexical values to their speakers and their respective linguistic behaviors. Taking a discourse-centered approach and paying attention to historicity, this dissertation provides an in-depth analysis of language patterns in multigenerational families. The findings show varying degree of heritage language maintenance at home and language shift from the heritage language in the public sphere. The study also identifies a unique skipped-generational heritage language transmission phenomenon resulting from changes in woman's roles, as well as from the complexity of identity configurations featuring ethnic, heritage, linguistic, and national affiliations. This dissertation also examines processes of intergenerational language negotiation foregrounding age and religion as two intersecting factors, discussing their implications on traditional family values, family structure, as well as heritage language maintenance. Utilizing multigenerational and multilingual families as a research site encompasses alternative linguistic markets and temporalities to examine the creative use of linguistic resources by speakers for identity formation and language maintenance efforts. Read more issues|LINGUIST home page|Top of issue Page Updated: 08-Dec-2011       About LINGUIST    |   Contact Us       While the LINGUIST List makes every effort to ensure the linguistic relevance of sites listed on its pages, it cannot vouch for their contents.