Izvorni znanstveni članak
Croatian framed by English: The language of Australian Croatians as a ‘first’ and ‘second language’
Boris Škvorc
Sažetak
This paper discusses the position of the
other language in a multicultural liberal egalitarian environment. At
the centre of attention are problems of so called `escape to ghetto', on one
side, and assimilation on the other side. Both are closely connected with
liberal postulate uttered in a phrase: `freedom of choice'; which, I argue, is
very much dependent on discursive frame in given synchronic situation.
Croatian language was officially recognized as a community language in
Australia in 1979, based on the multicultural politics of the government of
the day. Since 1980 it is taught as a part of the high school degree, and
since 1983 it is also present at tertiary level as one of the languages other
than English (LOTE). This paper discusses the present state of Croatian
language in Australia, provides a brief history of its presence on that
continent, language shift from Croatian to English and a specific koine
that has been developed among first and second generation of speakers,
regardless of their čakavian, kajkavian or štokavian background.
It also provides an overview on how and where Croatian is taught, the number
of speakers of Croatian, major processes that take place in language shift and
the processes of cross-borrowing in first, second and third generation
users.
The central part of the paper discusses questions of bilingualism and language
shift in the second generation. It also describes and tries to explain
processes in the language that are surrounded with the other language, the
`host language'. In this particular scenario English influences the community
language (Croatian) on three levels: on the level of lexical adaptation,
syntax and usage of both languages in the form of a very specific language mix
(cross-borrowing). In this environment a number of very original and specific
processes that are not characteristic to the language in its natural
environment are taking place. Due to limited space, only some examples of
adaptation from the `other' language will be provided. Also, a process of
naturalizing some phrases, words and constructions is only touched. In the
final part, the paper provides some examples and comments on a few `community
translations', mostly from `ethnic newspapers' which are often very much
influenced by the above processes of adaptation and naturalization.
Ključne riječi
bilingualism; multiculturality; language shift; L1; L2
Hrčak ID:
10514
URI
Datum izdavanja:
30.9.2006.
Posjeta: 2.116 *