I have chosen this topic as I am very interested in Australia’s multicultural society and its unique history. The following paper aims to give an overview of community languages and their development in Australia from the very first settlers to Australian society nowadays.
At first, there will be a brief outline of the history of immigration to Australia in order to show the development of the different ethnic groups coming to Australia.
Furthermore, the changing attitudes will be outlined since community languages had to undergo changing situations within Australian society. I will consider the past as well as the latest situation in Australia by means of a demography comparison. The language demography of the years 1991 and 1996 will be analysed in order to point out the development of the widely-used community languages and their status. Interesting from a German point of view, is the evolution of German in Australia as many people would not expect German being one of the major community languages in the early settlement of Australia. A significant fact to analyse will be the changing role towards German after the two World Wars in the 20th century.
Besides, I will integrate the role of Ethnolects in Australian society and within their communities in this paper. I will exemplify linguistic characteristics of Ethnolects and will analyse them with regard to the aspect of different generations.
Literature of Michael Clyne will be considered primarily. Michael Clyne is Professorial Fellow in Linguistics at the University of Melbourne and one of the leading scientists of community languages in Australia, nowadays.
Table of Contents
- 1. INTRODUCTION
- 2. IMMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA
- 3. COMMUNITY LANGUAGES
- 3.1 THE CHANGING ATTITUDE TOWARDS COMMUNITY LANGUAGES
- 3.2 LANGUAGE DEMOGRAPHY IN 1991 AND 1996
- 3.3 THE ROLE OF GERMAN AS AN EXAMPLE OF A COMMUNITY LANGUAGE
- 4. ETHNOLECTS
- 4.1 LINGUISTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ETHNOLECTS
- 4.2 THE ROLE OF ETHNOLECTS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES
- 5. CONCLUSION
- 6. REFERENCES
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to provide an overview of the development of community languages in Australia, tracing their evolution from the initial settlement to their current status. It explores the changing attitudes towards these languages within Australian society, analyzes language demographics, and examines the role of German as a significant example. Furthermore, the paper investigates the role of ethnolects within their communities and their linguistic characteristics.
- The historical development of community languages in Australia.
- The changing societal attitudes towards community languages throughout history.
- Language demography in Australia, focusing on the evolution of prominent community languages.
- The specific case study of German as a community language in Australia.
- The role and linguistic characteristics of ethnolects in Australian society.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the paper by outlining its objective: to explore the development of community languages and the role of ethnolects in Australia. It briefly previews the historical context of immigration, the changing attitudes towards community languages, and the evolving role of German in Australia. The chapter also introduces the key figure of Michael Clyne, whose work forms a significant part of the paper's scholarly basis.
2. Immigration to Australia: This chapter provides a concise historical overview of immigration to Australia, starting with the first British settlers and expanding to include various waves of immigrants from different European countries and beyond. It highlights the motivations behind immigration—from convicts and political refugees to economic migrants—and demonstrates the diverse linguistic landscape resulting from this influx of different groups. The chapter touches on the early stages of language assimilation and the persistence of various languages as community languages.
3. Community Languages: This chapter defines the term "community languages" in the Australian context and details their early development, noting the prominence of languages such as Irish, German, and Italian. It explains the role of community languages in education, initially through bilingual schools and their subsequent decline with the rise of monolingual state schools. The use of community languages in the public sector, particularly in newspapers, is also highlighted.
4. Ethnolects: This chapter delves into the concept of ethnolects within Australian society. It describes the linguistic characteristics of ethnolects and analyzes their role within their respective communities, potentially focusing on generational differences and how these affect language use and transmission.
Keywords
Community languages, Ethnolects, Australia, Immigration, Language policy, Language maintenance, Language shift, Bilingual education, Multiculturalism, German in Australia, Michael Clyne.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this paper?
This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the development of community languages and ethnolects in Australia. It examines their historical evolution, the changing societal attitudes towards them, and their linguistic characteristics.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
The key themes include the historical development of community languages in Australia, changing societal attitudes towards these languages, language demography (with a focus on German), the role and linguistic characteristics of ethnolects, and the impact of immigration on Australia's linguistic landscape.
What is the scope of the paper regarding time period and geographical location?
The paper focuses on Australia and covers the historical development of community languages from the initial settlement to the present day, examining the evolution of language use and attitudes over time.
Which specific community language is given particular attention?
The paper uses German as a significant case study to illustrate the development and role of community languages in Australia.
What is an ethnolect, and what role does it play in the paper?
The paper explores ethnolects, which are dialects spoken by particular ethnic groups. It analyzes their linguistic characteristics and role within their respective communities, considering factors such as generational differences and language transmission.
What are the key objectives of the research?
The paper aims to provide an overview of the development of community languages in Australia, analyze changing attitudes towards these languages, examine language demographics, and investigate the role and linguistic characteristics of ethnolects.
What kind of data is included in the paper?
The paper incorporates historical data on immigration, language demographics (including statistics from 1991 and 1996), and analysis of linguistic features of community languages and ethnolects. It also draws on scholarly works, notably those of Michael Clyne.
What are the main chapters and their focus?
The paper is structured into chapters covering: an introduction setting the context and objectives; immigration history to Australia; a detailed examination of community languages including the changing attitudes and language demography; an exploration of ethnolects and their characteristics; a conclusion summarizing the findings; and finally, a list of references.
What are some key terms used in the paper?
Key terms include community languages, ethnolects, immigration, language policy, language maintenance, language shift, bilingual education, multiculturalism, German in Australia, and Michael Clyne.
What is the intended audience for this paper?
The paper is intended for an academic audience interested in the study of linguistics, sociolinguistics, and the impact of immigration on language and culture in Australia.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Sabrina Weihrauch (Autor:in), 2005, The development of community languages and the role of Ethnolects in Australia , München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/89815
