Diglossia (original) (raw)

Abstract

Diglossia is a term used to classify communication situations in societies that make complementary use in daily exchanges of two distinct codes which are either two language varieties or two languages. Certain circumstances imply the use of one of the codes, language A, to the exclusion of the other, language B, which can only be used in situations from which the first language is excluded. This definition comprises many variations, however. Although there are diglossic situations in a way in the majority of societies, for example in Britain, there is a contrast between the English used in exchanges between friends or while shopping and that used in university lectures or at public conferences, it must be emphasized that the preferred use of this term is in reference to societies in which the contrast is particularly marked and often backed up by the recourse to two distinct reference terms for the varieties in use (for example, standard language/patois, Katharevusa/Demotic in Greece, and French/creole in the majority of French creole-speaking areas). Generally, these diglossic situations are situations of language conflict whereby one of the languages is termed the 'high' variety in contrast to the other which is considered 'low' with the former being used in communication situations considered 'noble' (writing, formal usage, and so on) and the latter being used in more informal circumstances (conversations with close family etc.). Speakers have sometimes been known to question whether this second variety is, in fact, a real language.

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