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Chang, C. B. (2009) 'Convergence and divergence in language obsolescence.' In: Pak, M., (ed.), Current Issues in Unity and Diversity of Languages. Seoul, Korea: Linguistic Society of Korea, pp. 933-952.

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Abstract

Previous research on language attrition has distinguished between internally and externally motivated change and between convergent and divergent change, with most literature focusing on speech communities that have undergone either one or the other type of change. In this paper, I argue that these types of change may coexist within the same community or even the same speaker, with the result that the obsolescing language becomes simultaneously more similar to and more different from the contact language. The results of a cross-generational acoustic study of Southeastern Pomo (Northern Hokan, Pomoan) indicate that in the domain of phonetics and phonology, the speech of the last fluent generation has converged with English in some ways and diverged from it in other ways.

Item Type: Book Chapters
Keywords: language contact, obsolescence, sound change, convergence, divergence
SOAS Departments & Centres: Legacy Departments > Faculty of Languages and Cultures > Department of Linguistics
Subjects: P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
ISBN: 9788990696717
Copyright Statement: Copyright 2009 Charles B. Chang. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author.
Date Deposited: 21 Nov 2014 16:44
URI: https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/19112

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