LINGUIST List 20.71

Wed Jan 07 2009

Diss: Lang Acq/Phonology/Socioling: Guedri: 'A Sociolinguistic ...'

Editor for this issue: Evelyn Richter <evelynlinguistlist.org>


        1.    Christine Guedri, A Sociolinguistic Study of Language Contact of Lebanese Arabic and Brazilian Portuguese in São Paulo, Brazil


Message 1: A Sociolinguistic Study of Language Contact of Lebanese Arabic and Brazilian Portuguese in São Paulo, Brazil
Date: 07-Jan-2009
From: Christine Guedri <christine.guedriusma.edu>
Subject: A Sociolinguistic Study of Language Contact of Lebanese Arabic and Brazilian Portuguese in São Paulo, Brazil
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Institution: University of Texas at Austin Program: Department of Spanish and Portuguese Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2008

Author: Christine Marie Guedri

Dissertation Title: A Sociolinguistic Study of Language Contact of Lebanese Arabic and Brazilian Portuguese in São Paulo, Brazil

Linguistic Field(s): Language Acquisition                             Phonology                             Sociolinguistics
Subject Language(s): Arabic, Standard (arb)                             Portuguese (por)
Dissertation Director:
Fritz G. Hensey
Dissertation Abstract:

Languages that borrow Arabic words often incorporate redundant, non-lexicalmaterial (Myers Scotton 2002, Rouchdy 2002). Examples can be drawn fromwords of Arabic origin in the Portuguese language (Kaye 2004, Corriente1992). The aim of this study is to explore different aspects languagevariation due to language contact and transfer. This study takes intoconsideration loanword adaptations and examines three generations ofLebanese-Brazilians living and São Paulo.

While many factors account for phonological variation in the production ofBrazilian Portuguese, one of the goals of this study is to show how priorlanguage experiences can influence variation in the perception andproduction of another. In exploring three generations in theLebanese-Brazilian community of São Paulo, Brazil, first-generationimmigrants are believed to have more variability in their spokenPortuguese, with this variability extending to loanwords of Arabic origin.Subsequent generations are believed have less access to the Arabiclanguage, and have less variability in their spoken Portuguese, however areexpected to experience some influence of Arabic when perceiving andproducing words of Arabic origin.