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The rise of network use as a global phenomenon entices language teachers and learners to modify a... more The rise of network use as a global phenomenon entices language teachers and learners to modify acquisition patterns towards an increasingly learner centered approach, with grammar learning partly taking place outside the classroom. In this paper we present a digital literacy project which investigates the potential of audiovisual learning and teaching (L&T) resources for the acquisition of grammatical knowledge and understanding in mother tongue and foreign language education. We focus on evaluation literacy, the cognitive and social skills that determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use evaluative information in ways that contribute to achieving learning goals (adapted from Rogers, Kelly & McCoy 2019). To achieve this aim, we first administered two questionnaires to 28 linguists and EFL teachers to establish and adapt existing evaluation criteria for the selection of grammar resources. Second, we applied these evaluation criteria to 345 existing online audiovisual grammar videos. This resulted in illustrations of evaluation literacy, as well as ready-to-use information on such resources for both learners and teachers. This information includes learner level for both native and non-native speakers, previous knowledge required to benefit from the resources (e.g. terminology), and accessibility. Third, we developed concrete examples of learning activities which blend online instruction with face-to-face communication. This approach is expected to help learners generalize through use rather than memorizing, and thereby transform them from passive listeners to active learners. The concrete examples of L&T will furthermore function as a framework for further discussion about digital pedagogy i.e. ways of approaching digital L&T tools from a critical pedagogical perspective.

That closely related words tend to be close together in the sentence is a well-established princi... more That closely related words tend to be close together in the sentence is a well-established principle of monolingual language comprehension and production. This paper suggests that this is different in bilingual language use. It proposes that long dependency distances between syntactically related units facilitate bilingual code-switching (Distance Hypothesis DH). Code-switching (CS) is the linguistic behaviour of producing or comprehending language that is composed from lexical items and grammatical structures from two (or more) languages. Dependency distance is the number of words between a head and a dependent. We test the DH on a 9,023 word German/English, and a 19,766 word Chinese/English corpus. In both corpora mixed dependencies present longer dependency distances than monolingual ones, which supports the DH. Selected major dependency types (subject, object, adjunct) also have longer dependency distances when the head word and its dependent are from different languages. We discuss how processing motivations behind the DH make it a potentially viable motivator for bilingual code-switching and-more generally-for contact-induced language change.

The Oxford Handbook of Language Contact, 2020

This chapter explores the contested role of L1 and L2 acquisition in contact-induced linguistic c... more This chapter explores the contested role of L1 and L2 acquisition in contact-induced linguistic change (CILC). We first identify three factors underlying these controversies (field of research; theoretical approach; and methodological limitations/advances), before discussing two elements language change and language acquisition have in common (i.e., isolated individuals cannot accomplish either, and both have to be studied through natural language data, with its attendant high degree of variation). We go on to define key terms and concepts for the role of L1 and L2 acquisition in contact-induced language change, including first and second language acquisition (L1A and L2A), bilingual first language acquisition, language variation and change, language contact and contact-induced language change. In the main section we discuss the role of L1A and L2A in CILC, and examine different language-acquisition scenarios, in particular their potential for leading to CILC. We use these different...

Closely related words tend to be close together in monolingual language use. This paper suggests ... more Closely related words tend to be close together in monolingual language use. This paper suggests that this is different in bilingual language use. The Distance Hypothesis (DH) proposes that long dependency distances between syntactically related units facilitate bilingual code-switching. We test the DH on a 9,023 word German/English and a 19,766 word Chinese/English corpus. Both corpora support the DH in that they present longer mixed dependencies than monolingual ones. Selected major dependency types (subject, object, adjunct) also have longer dependency distances when the head word and its dependent are from different languages. We discuss how processing motivations behind the DH make it a potentially viable motivator for bili ngual language use.

Ausgehend von den Beobachtungen, dass Mehrsprachige beim Code-Switchen oft zwi-schen Artikelwort ... more Ausgehend von den Beobachtungen, dass Mehrsprachige beim Code-Switchen oft zwi-schen Artikelwort und Nomen die Sprache wechseln und dass sprachliche Kategorien in Kontaktsituationen konvergieren können, wird ein Korpus historischer Aufnahmen (Gruppengespräche und soziolinguistische Interviews) von in London lebenden jüdischen Emigranten aus Wien in Bezug auf die Realisierung der Schwa-Artikel untersucht. Als Kontrollmaterial dienen vergleichbare Aufnahmen von monolingualen Sprechern des Wiener Deutsch und des Londoner Englisch. Die Erwartung phonetisch konvergierter Schwa-Realisierungen bestätigt sich zwar nur teilweise, doch zeigen die Ergebnisse unter-schiedliche Strategien der Fremdsprachenaneignung (L1-Transfer bzw. target overshoot) sowie Anzeichen von Spracherosion bei Teilen der analysierten Sprecher. Dies spricht für die sprachliche Heterogenität von Migranten-Communitys und für den Einbezug außer-sprachlicher Informationen bei der Interpretation phonetischer Messdaten.

Language, Society and Power is the essential introductory text for students studying language in ... more Language, Society and Power is the essential introductory text for students studying language in a variety of social contexts. This book examines the ways in which language functions, how it influences thought and how it varies according to age, ethnicity, class and gender. It seeks to answer such questions as: How can a language reflect the status of children and older people? Do men and women talk differently? How can our use of language mark our ethnic identity? It also looks at language use in politics and the media and investigates how language affects and constructs our identities, exploring notions of correctness and attitudes towards language use. This third edition of this bestselling book has been completely revised to include recent developments in theory and research and offers the following features: •a range of new and engaging international examples drawn from everyday life: beauty advertisements, conversation transcripts, newspaper headlines reporting on asylum seeke...

This thesis is about how words and (word-)forms from German and English interact with each other ... more This thesis is about how words and (word-)forms from German and English interact with each other and with same-language elements. That is, it is a comparison of the syntax of bilingual speakers' monolingual and intra-sententially code-switched utterances. It is based on the assumption that each word in a syntactic dependency relation must satisfy the constraints imposed on it by its own language. This hypothesis is presumed to hold for monolingual and mixed dependencies alike.

Intercultural Pragmatics, 2019

In this paper we present the results of the first empirical reception study on the comparative st... more In this paper we present the results of the first empirical reception study on the comparative strength of swearwords in two audiovisual translation (AVT) modes. We test the assumption/hypothesis that swearwords are perceived as stronger in writing (i.e. subtitles) than in spoken language (i.e. dubbing), which has led to the long-held translation practice of toning down or deleting swearwords more in subtitles than in dubbing. By means of an online survey, participants were asked to a) rate the psychological distance between the connotative meanings of swearwords embedded in ten film clips on a four-point strength scale, and b) comment on their ratings in open-ended text boxes. The results of various types of quantitative analysis show that our participants do not rate swearwords in subtitles higher than in dubbed clips. The qualitative analysis identified contextual factors (genre/director of film, participating characters and their relationship, setting and linguistic context) as ...

Journal of Linguistic Geography, 2017

This paper presents the results of the first investigation into Kurdish linguistic varieties and ... more This paper presents the results of the first investigation into Kurdish linguistic varieties and their spatial distribution. Kurdish dialects are used across five nation states in the Middle East and only one dialect, Sorani, has official status in one of these nation states. The study employs the “draw-a-map” task established in Perceptual Dialectology; the analysis is supported by Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The results show that, despite the geolinguistic and geopolitical situation, Kurdish respondents have good knowledge of the main varieties of their language (Kurmanji, Sorani, and the related variety Zazaki) and where to localize them. Awareness of the more diverse Southern Kurdish varieties is less definitive. This indicates that the Kurdish language plays a role in identity formation, but also that smaller isolated varieties are not only endangered in terms of speakers, but also in terms of their representations in Kurds’ mental maps of the linguistic landscape t...

Meta: Journal des traducteurs, 2018

This paper presents the results of the first empirical reception study on the deliberate non-subt... more This paper presents the results of the first empirical reception study on the deliberate non-subtitling of L3s in the multilingual TV series Breaking Bad. Multilingual films and TV series are on the increase both in terms of success and penetrating wider audiences in a global market. This puts the focus on how multilingualism is conveyed to the audience and how audiences respond to it. While the translation strategies used in multilingual productions have received some attention, audiences’ reactions to them have only been investigated through an analysis of comments posted on an online movie message board. This study presents the results of a survey on the perception of and response to non-translation of L3 segments in a multilingual prestige TV series among hearing viewers. It shows that audiences are not only acutely aware of deliberate non-translation but also actively seek to identify motivations for it, which are context-sensitive and largely coincide with the filmmakers’ moti...

Aaa Arbeiten Aus Anglistik Und Amerikanistik, 2010

This paper presents the first grammar of Emigranto, the German/English mixed code spoken by Jewis... more This paper presents the first grammar of Emigranto, the German/English mixed code spoken by Jewish refugees residing in London, UK. It goes back to Gardner-Chloros & Edwards’ (2004) paper by showing that the German/ English bilinguals possess two identifiable linguistic systems or languages, each with its grammatical rules and lexicon, and that the mixed variety results from the interaction between lexical elements and grammatical rules from these languages. It supports Gardner-Chloros and Edwards’ argument that grammar is distinct from the processes driving language production, but shows that knowledge about both can be derived from an analysis that combines syntactic relations with processing features. The results of this analysis are captured in the Distance Hypothesis, which states that greater dependency distance increases the chances of code-mixing (Duran Eppler 2010). The paper concludes that there is more variation in bilingual than in monolingual data, but it argues that (a.) this does not preclude grammatical approaches to code-switching – they just have to be probabilistic – and (b.) variation has to be tackled if we want to identify grammatical regularities in natural speech.

The rise of network use as a global phenomenon entices language teachers and learners to modify a... more The rise of network use as a global phenomenon entices language teachers and learners to modify acquisition patterns towards an increasingly learner centered approach, with grammar learning partly taking place outside the classroom. In this paper we present a digital literacy project which investigates the potential of audiovisual learning and teaching (L&T) resources for the acquisition of grammatical knowledge and understanding in mother tongue and foreign language education. We focus on evaluation literacy, the cognitive and social skills that determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use evaluative information in ways that contribute to achieving learning goals (adapted from Rogers, Kelly & McCoy 2019). To achieve this aim, we first administered two questionnaires to 28 linguists and EFL teachers to establish and adapt existing evaluation criteria for the selection of grammar resources. Second, we applied these evaluation criteria to 345 existing online audiovisual grammar videos. This resulted in illustrations of evaluation literacy, as well as ready-to-use information on such resources for both learners and teachers. This information includes learner level for both native and non-native speakers, previous knowledge required to benefit from the resources (e.g. terminology), and accessibility. Third, we developed concrete examples of learning activities which blend online instruction with face-to-face communication. This approach is expected to help learners generalize through use rather than memorizing, and thereby transform them from passive listeners to active learners. The concrete examples of L&T will furthermore function as a framework for further discussion about digital pedagogy i.e. ways of approaching digital L&T tools from a critical pedagogical perspective.

That closely related words tend to be close together in the sentence is a well-established princi... more That closely related words tend to be close together in the sentence is a well-established principle of monolingual language comprehension and production. This paper suggests that this is different in bilingual language use. It proposes that long dependency distances between syntactically related units facilitate bilingual code-switching (Distance Hypothesis DH). Code-switching (CS) is the linguistic behaviour of producing or comprehending language that is composed from lexical items and grammatical structures from two (or more) languages. Dependency distance is the number of words between a head and a dependent. We test the DH on a 9,023 word German/English, and a 19,766 word Chinese/English corpus. In both corpora mixed dependencies present longer dependency distances than monolingual ones, which supports the DH. Selected major dependency types (subject, object, adjunct) also have longer dependency distances when the head word and its dependent are from different languages. We discuss how processing motivations behind the DH make it a potentially viable motivator for bilingual code-switching and-more generally-for contact-induced language change.

The Oxford Handbook of Language Contact, 2020

This chapter explores the contested role of L1 and L2 acquisition in contact-induced linguistic c... more This chapter explores the contested role of L1 and L2 acquisition in contact-induced linguistic change (CILC). We first identify three factors underlying these controversies (field of research; theoretical approach; and methodological limitations/advances), before discussing two elements language change and language acquisition have in common (i.e., isolated individuals cannot accomplish either, and both have to be studied through natural language data, with its attendant high degree of variation). We go on to define key terms and concepts for the role of L1 and L2 acquisition in contact-induced language change, including first and second language acquisition (L1A and L2A), bilingual first language acquisition, language variation and change, language contact and contact-induced language change. In the main section we discuss the role of L1A and L2A in CILC, and examine different language-acquisition scenarios, in particular their potential for leading to CILC. We use these different...

Closely related words tend to be close together in monolingual language use. This paper suggests ... more Closely related words tend to be close together in monolingual language use. This paper suggests that this is different in bilingual language use. The Distance Hypothesis (DH) proposes that long dependency distances between syntactically related units facilitate bilingual code-switching. We test the DH on a 9,023 word German/English and a 19,766 word Chinese/English corpus. Both corpora support the DH in that they present longer mixed dependencies than monolingual ones. Selected major dependency types (subject, object, adjunct) also have longer dependency distances when the head word and its dependent are from different languages. We discuss how processing motivations behind the DH make it a potentially viable motivator for bili ngual language use.

Ausgehend von den Beobachtungen, dass Mehrsprachige beim Code-Switchen oft zwi-schen Artikelwort ... more Ausgehend von den Beobachtungen, dass Mehrsprachige beim Code-Switchen oft zwi-schen Artikelwort und Nomen die Sprache wechseln und dass sprachliche Kategorien in Kontaktsituationen konvergieren können, wird ein Korpus historischer Aufnahmen (Gruppengespräche und soziolinguistische Interviews) von in London lebenden jüdischen Emigranten aus Wien in Bezug auf die Realisierung der Schwa-Artikel untersucht. Als Kontrollmaterial dienen vergleichbare Aufnahmen von monolingualen Sprechern des Wiener Deutsch und des Londoner Englisch. Die Erwartung phonetisch konvergierter Schwa-Realisierungen bestätigt sich zwar nur teilweise, doch zeigen die Ergebnisse unter-schiedliche Strategien der Fremdsprachenaneignung (L1-Transfer bzw. target overshoot) sowie Anzeichen von Spracherosion bei Teilen der analysierten Sprecher. Dies spricht für die sprachliche Heterogenität von Migranten-Communitys und für den Einbezug außer-sprachlicher Informationen bei der Interpretation phonetischer Messdaten.

Language, Society and Power is the essential introductory text for students studying language in ... more Language, Society and Power is the essential introductory text for students studying language in a variety of social contexts. This book examines the ways in which language functions, how it influences thought and how it varies according to age, ethnicity, class and gender. It seeks to answer such questions as: How can a language reflect the status of children and older people? Do men and women talk differently? How can our use of language mark our ethnic identity? It also looks at language use in politics and the media and investigates how language affects and constructs our identities, exploring notions of correctness and attitudes towards language use. This third edition of this bestselling book has been completely revised to include recent developments in theory and research and offers the following features: •a range of new and engaging international examples drawn from everyday life: beauty advertisements, conversation transcripts, newspaper headlines reporting on asylum seeke...

This thesis is about how words and (word-)forms from German and English interact with each other ... more This thesis is about how words and (word-)forms from German and English interact with each other and with same-language elements. That is, it is a comparison of the syntax of bilingual speakers' monolingual and intra-sententially code-switched utterances. It is based on the assumption that each word in a syntactic dependency relation must satisfy the constraints imposed on it by its own language. This hypothesis is presumed to hold for monolingual and mixed dependencies alike.

Intercultural Pragmatics, 2019

In this paper we present the results of the first empirical reception study on the comparative st... more In this paper we present the results of the first empirical reception study on the comparative strength of swearwords in two audiovisual translation (AVT) modes. We test the assumption/hypothesis that swearwords are perceived as stronger in writing (i.e. subtitles) than in spoken language (i.e. dubbing), which has led to the long-held translation practice of toning down or deleting swearwords more in subtitles than in dubbing. By means of an online survey, participants were asked to a) rate the psychological distance between the connotative meanings of swearwords embedded in ten film clips on a four-point strength scale, and b) comment on their ratings in open-ended text boxes. The results of various types of quantitative analysis show that our participants do not rate swearwords in subtitles higher than in dubbed clips. The qualitative analysis identified contextual factors (genre/director of film, participating characters and their relationship, setting and linguistic context) as ...

Journal of Linguistic Geography, 2017

This paper presents the results of the first investigation into Kurdish linguistic varieties and ... more This paper presents the results of the first investigation into Kurdish linguistic varieties and their spatial distribution. Kurdish dialects are used across five nation states in the Middle East and only one dialect, Sorani, has official status in one of these nation states. The study employs the “draw-a-map” task established in Perceptual Dialectology; the analysis is supported by Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The results show that, despite the geolinguistic and geopolitical situation, Kurdish respondents have good knowledge of the main varieties of their language (Kurmanji, Sorani, and the related variety Zazaki) and where to localize them. Awareness of the more diverse Southern Kurdish varieties is less definitive. This indicates that the Kurdish language plays a role in identity formation, but also that smaller isolated varieties are not only endangered in terms of speakers, but also in terms of their representations in Kurds’ mental maps of the linguistic landscape t...

Meta: Journal des traducteurs, 2018

This paper presents the results of the first empirical reception study on the deliberate non-subt... more This paper presents the results of the first empirical reception study on the deliberate non-subtitling of L3s in the multilingual TV series Breaking Bad. Multilingual films and TV series are on the increase both in terms of success and penetrating wider audiences in a global market. This puts the focus on how multilingualism is conveyed to the audience and how audiences respond to it. While the translation strategies used in multilingual productions have received some attention, audiences’ reactions to them have only been investigated through an analysis of comments posted on an online movie message board. This study presents the results of a survey on the perception of and response to non-translation of L3 segments in a multilingual prestige TV series among hearing viewers. It shows that audiences are not only acutely aware of deliberate non-translation but also actively seek to identify motivations for it, which are context-sensitive and largely coincide with the filmmakers’ moti...

Aaa Arbeiten Aus Anglistik Und Amerikanistik, 2010

This paper presents the first grammar of Emigranto, the German/English mixed code spoken by Jewis... more This paper presents the first grammar of Emigranto, the German/English mixed code spoken by Jewish refugees residing in London, UK. It goes back to Gardner-Chloros & Edwards’ (2004) paper by showing that the German/ English bilinguals possess two identifiable linguistic systems or languages, each with its grammatical rules and lexicon, and that the mixed variety results from the interaction between lexical elements and grammatical rules from these languages. It supports Gardner-Chloros and Edwards’ argument that grammar is distinct from the processes driving language production, but shows that knowledge about both can be derived from an analysis that combines syntactic relations with processing features. The results of this analysis are captured in the Distance Hypothesis, which states that greater dependency distance increases the chances of code-mixing (Duran Eppler 2010). The paper concludes that there is more variation in bilingual than in monolingual data, but it argues that (a.) this does not preclude grammatical approaches to code-switching – they just have to be probabilistic – and (b.) variation has to be tackled if we want to identify grammatical regularities in natural speech.