Code-intermediate phenomena in medieval mixed-language business texts  

Oleh:

Wright, Laura

Jenis: Article from Journal - ilmiah internasional
Dalam koleksi: Language Sciences (Full Text) vol. 24 no. 3-4 (2002), page 471–489.
Topik: Mixed-language business texts; Medieval Latin; Anglo-Norman; Middle English; Code-intermediate states; Multilingualism
Fulltext: 24_03-04_Wright.pdf (604.34KB)

Isi artikel

This paper discusses a written linguistic system, evidenced in medieval mixed-language business texts, that was replaced by Early Modern English. This variety routinely mixed Romance (Anglo-Norman, Medieval Latin) with Germanic (Middle English) languages, in an orderly way. I examine medieval mixed-language business writing from the point of view of suffix mergers, as the lack of language-specific suffixes resulted in code-intermediate states; that is, an inability to decide whether a given world in a given context belonged to English, French or Latin. The question raised is whether without hindsight one could predict, on formal structural grounds rather than social, economic or political grounds, that one system was about to be superseded by another. I conclude that code-intermediate states do not, of themselves, presage the abandonment of the mixed-language business variety.

Opini Anda

Klik untuk menuliskan opini Anda tentang koleksi ini!

Kembali