LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 16:5 May 2016
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
         Renuga Devi, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Research Methodology for Contact Languages

Dr. Maansi Shashank Shandilya, Ph.D.

Abstract

The typological study of emerging contact languages brings in ambiguities and challenges. This paper explores the several methodological issues that emerged in the study of contact Hindi (CH). It goes a step ahead and proposes solutions to these issues. In fact, the paper has designed a methodology that was developed during research work on contact Hindi in North East India. This methodology can be used for research on contact languages in general. The present paper states several reasons for requiring a specific methodology for studying contact languages. It also states that in order to achieve Labov’s ‘observer’s paradox’ the fieldworker has to adopt a methodology that aims to elicit random narrations in order to tap natural features of an emerging contact language. This paper is of high relevance in absence of any specific methodology for working on contact languages.

Keywords: contact language methodology, contact language research methodology, linguistics methodology.

1. Introduction

Literature has several typological accounts of contact languages those focus on aspects such as, contact induced language change, language processing in bilingualism, language universals and language change etc. But it is surprising that none of these discussions unravels the methodology for studying the contact language. The study of contact languages needs specific methodology for several reasons. To begin with, it is difficult to tap the features of a contact language at its emerging stage. This is so, because at initial stage its features are not stable. A speaker can have several forms and patterns for denoting a single linguistic feature. Thus, a contact linguist’s aim is to sift out the idiosyncratic linguistic features from the conventional linguistic outcomes. Secondly, the Labov’s ‘observer’s paradox’ has to be kept in mind. The data should contain ‘that speech’ when the speaker is not being observed. Hence, the data should comprise random narrations. Thirdly, the current language contact situations are much more complex in terms of composition of languages and linguistic attitudes. Thus, it is imperative to have a specific methodology for studying contact languages. This methodology comprises a set of parameters, pre conditions and guidelines specific to language contact.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr. Maansi Shashank Shandilya, Ph.D.
maansi16@gmail.com
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