The present analysis will focus on two major aspects: the local vernacular as employed in Hawick and its usage in the school context.
The emphasis lies on the present linguistic situation in terms of language usage and attitudes of both pupils and teachers.
The second chapter will supply a brief social, linguistic and historical outline of Hawick and Southern Scots. Subsequently, in the third chapter the methodology and aspects of language attitudes and their measurement will be described.
The fourth chapter, being the main part of the study, is subdivided into two sections. Firstly, the linguistic situation in Hawick in general will be illustrated, and extralinguistic variables are taken into account whenever they prove to be statistically significant.
The final part of the analysis, chapter 4.2, will clarify language use and attitudes towards the vernacular in the school context. The conclusion in chapter five will summarize the most important results and might also serve as an impetus for further dialect and attitude studies.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Hawick and Southern Scots
2.1. Geography, history and population
2.2. Southern Scots and Braid Haaick
3. Methodology and attitudes
3.1. Attitudes and their measurement
3.2. Questionnaire
3.3. Sample
3.4. Analysis
4. Linguistic situation and language use in Hawick
4.1. Linguistic situation
4.1.1. Status of standard speech and local varieties in general
4.1.2. Regional variation in the Borders
4.1.3. Attitudes towards BBC London English and local speech
4.1.4. Status of local speech versus Standard English
4.1.5. Language change in Hawick and the Borders
4.1.6. Local identity
4.2. Language use and attitudes at Hawick High School
4.2.1. Language use in the school context
4.2.1.1. Pupils
4.2.1.2. Teachers
4.2.2. Attitudes towards the vernacular at school
4.2.2.1. Pupils
4.2.2.2. Teachers
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Thematic Scope
This empirical study explores the linguistic situation in the town of Hawick, Scotland, by examining the current attitudes of pupils and teachers toward the local vernacular, known as Southern Scots or Braid Haaick, and analyzing how these attitudes and language usage patterns manifest within the school context at Hawick High School.
- Investigation of the vitality of the Southern Scots dialect in Hawick.
- Evaluation of linguistic attitudes towards local speech versus Standard English.
- Analysis of code-switching behaviors among students and staff in various social settings.
- Examination of the impact of local identity, cultural traditions (e.g., Common Riding), and social variables on language choice.
Excerpt from the Book
1 Introduction
During my stay as a Foreign Languages Assistant in the Scottish Borders in the exchange year 2000/2001, I used to work at three different comprehensive schools: Kelso High School, Jedburgh Grammar School and Hawick High School. Hawick, perhaps more than any other town in the South of Scotland, is an outstanding place to rouse the linguistic interest of a foreign learner of English. First of all, the rather peculiar and mystic local motto in the town crest - as can be seen in the town everywhere - and, secondly, the pronunciation of the place itself. According to Collins English Dictionary, the name Hawick is phonetically transcribed as /hɔːɪk/. However, as heard with my own ears, everybody in the Border region pronounces the name as /hɔɪk/.
Yet, apart from these features, one other local element was even more striking. While I had not too many problems with the pupils’ speech at Jedburgh and Kelso, the same thing could not be said of Hawick. In the first week, when asking the class to explain why they kept bullying a certain boy in class, a pupil responded: “because yin’s mingin!”. Obviously, I did not have the slightest clue and inquired what was meant by this remark. After some hesitation the children came up with the following explanation: “because this one is smelling!”, the Standard English equivalent. This was only one of many more similar incidents that made me curious. After consultations with the teachers in Hawick and in other towns of the Borders, it soon became clear that inhabitants from Hawick are very proud of their own speech; different, as they claim, from all the other Border towns. They insisted further that their vernacular is still one of now few remaining and very lively examples of the Southern Scots dialect. The following weeks and months in the Borders made me appreciate the local speech even more fully.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the author’s motivation for the study, stemming from experiences in the Scottish Borders, and outlines the focus on local dialect and language use in the school context.
2. Hawick and Southern Scots: This section provides a brief socio-historical and linguistic background of Hawick, positioning it within the context of Southern Scots dialects.
3. Methodology and attitudes: This chapter describes the theoretical approach to language attitude research and details the construction and implementation of the questionnaires used for data collection.
4. Linguistic situation and language use in Hawick: The main body of the study presents the data analysis, covering general attitudes towards standard and local varieties, language change, identity, and specific language use and attitudes in the school environment.
5. Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the primary findings of the research, highlighting the relevance of social variables such as age and social class in shaping language attitudes and usage.
Keywords
Southern Scots, Hawick, Braid Haaick, Language Attitudes, Sociolinguistics, Linguistic Situation, School Context, Dialect, Standard English, Language Use, Identity, Scottish Borders, Questionnaire, Social Variables, Code-switching.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research?
The study investigates the linguistic situation in Hawick, specifically exploring how both teachers and students perceive and use the local dialect, Southern Scots, in daily life and within the school environment.
What are the core thematic areas covered in this thesis?
The research covers linguistic identity, language attitudes towards both local vernacular and standard English, the impact of local cultural traditions on speech, and the role of social variables like age, gender, and social class in determining language behavior.
What is the primary objective or research question of this study?
The objective is to document the status of the local vernacular in Hawick and to understand whether and how this dialect persists and is valued within the local High School despite the pressure of Standard English.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The author conducted an empirical field study using questionnaires with both open and closed items, analyzed using statistical methods such as t-tests and ANOVA to evaluate data from pupils and teachers.
What topics are discussed in the main analysis?
The main body examines the status of standard versus local varieties, the perception of dialect change, local identity, and the practical application of language by informants in and out of the classroom.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Southern Scots, Hawick, language attitudes, sociolinguistics, dialect, linguistic identity, and social variables.
What is a "Teri" and why is it important to the study?
A "Teri" is a term for a person born and bred in Hawick. The study investigates how "Teri" identity influences linguistic pride and usage compared to non-native residents.
How does the school environment affect the usage of local dialect?
The study reveals that while teachers and students are generally aware of the code-switching necessary in formal versus informal situations, most teachers encourage Standard English in class, though they do not necessarily display hostility toward the local dialect.
- Quote paper
- Christian Dietz-Verrier (Author), 2003, Linguistic Situation and Language Attitudes in Hawick/Scottish Borders, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/284760
