Multilingual

Discourse
SOCIOLINGUISTICS
 OUTLINES

Introduction Accomodation Multilingual

Code Switching Theory Identities
and its Types Markedness Conclusion
Model
 An Introduction
“Multilingual discourse refers to communication that involves the use of
multiple languages within a conversation, text, or interaction.”

• Switch between languages (code-switching)

• Use different languages in different contexts
• Combining elements from various languages
• Reflects the cultural, social, and linguistic diversity of the participants
 “Code-switching refers to the

Code Switching
practice of alternating between
two or more languages or dialects
within a conversation, sentence,
or discourse.”

Matrix Language Frame (MLF)

MLF model is based on the
assumption that one of the languages
is dominant and provides the
grammatical frame, and that only
certain types of morphemes can be
switched.
(Myers-Scotton 1993, 2002)

Minimalist Program
Work within the Minimalist Program is
based on generative syntactic theory
and concerns issues such as the union
 EXAMPLES
Person 1: I have so much work to do today, I'm really stressed.
Person 2: Aray, don't worry, sab kuch theek ho jayega.
Person 1: I hope so, but it feels overwhelming
Person 2: Bas, take it one step at a time Tumhare paas sab skills hain to
handle this

acha ok

Person 1: Mujhe samajh nahi aata yeh kya ho raha hai

Person 2: Oye, kuch nahi hunda, thoda relax ho ja

Person 1: Haan, tusi theek keh rahe ho. Let me try it.
(The speaker switches back to English or Urdu to adjust to a more
formal or public setting, possibly influenced by societal norms.)

Person 1 (English): I’m feeling tired.

Person 2 (Urdu): Aap ko rest lena chahiye.(You should rest.)
Person 1 (English): I’ll be fine, thanks.
 “Situational code-switching refers
to the practice of switching
between languages or dialects
depending on the specific social
situation or context.”

• Language, Dialect & Style

• Compasrion with Diglossia
• Examples;

Classroom Setting (Formal):

Teacher (English): Please read the
instructions carefully.
Student (English): Okay, I will. Situational
Family Setting (Casual):
Student (Urdu): Mumma, khaana kya
code
hai? (Mom, what’s for dinner?)
Parent (Urdu): Aaj daal chawal bana hai. switching
 “Metaphorical code-switching
refers to the practice of switching

Metaphorical between languages, dialects, or

even speech styles within a single

Code Switching
conversation to convey deeper
meanings, shift tone, or reflect
different aspects of identity or
context.”

• Symbolize cultural, social, or

emotional boundaries
• Communicate layered ideas
effectively
• Examples: "They promised us
change, and yet all we got was
more of the same. But, hey, it’s all
good, right?"
• "We must never forget our roots.
Nuestra historia is what defines us.
(Our history is what defines us).
 Accomodation Theory
“It is a framework in sociolinguistics that explains how and why people adjust their
speech, tone, and communication style during interactions.”

Proposed by social psychologist Howard

To achieve specific conversational goals
Giles in the 1970s

Managing interpersonal relationships To foster social bonds

Shift in behavior to become more like

Mockery and Immitation
the other
 Convergence $
Divergence
Adjusting one's Emphasizing the
communication style to diff erences in one's
become more similar to communication style
the other person's. from the other
person’s.
Scenario:
A tourist from the U.S. visits the U.K. and
is speaking to a local shopkeeper.
EXAMPLE
Convergence:
Tourist: Could you tell me where the loo
is?
(The tourist switches to British
terminology, using “loo” instead of
“restroom” to blend in.)

Divergence:
Shopkeeper: The toilet is just around the
corner.
(Instead of using “loo,” the shopkeeper
switches to a more universal term to
maintain clarity or highlight their own
 “Audience Design in multilingual discourse refers to
how speaker adapt their language choices, styles
AUDIENCE and communication strategies based on their
DESIGN perceived or actual audience.”

• Proposed by Allan Bell in the 1980s

• Language Selection
• Code Switching and Code Mixing
• Relation to Accommodation Theory
• Addressing Multilingual Audiences
• Style and Register Adjustment
• Example: A political leader in a bilingual region might
deliver a speech partly in English and partly in the local
language. The choice of English could appeal to a
globalized, educated audience, while the local
language builds rapport with regional communities.
Markedness model
Proposed by Carol Myers-Scotton.

Scenario: A bilingual employee speaks English in the

workplace but switches to Urdu when talking to a
“It is a linguistic framework
colleague, Ahmed, who shares their cultural
background.
that explains how speakers
• Unmarked Choice: Speaking English, the default
language in the office.
make choices between
• Ahmed, could you check the meeting agenda?
• Marked Choice: Switching to Urdu to show
linguistic codes (e.g.,
solidarity or build a personal connection.
• Ahmed, yeh meeting ka agenda dekh lo. (Ahmed,
languages, dialects, or
take a look at the meeting agenda.) speech styles) in
multilingual or multi-
dialectal contexts.”
MultiLingual “Multilingual identities refer to the complex and
dynamic ways in which individuals construct

Identities and express their sense of self through the use

of multiple languages.”

Social Constructionist Theory

These identities are shaped by cultural, social, and
linguistic experiences
Reflect the interplay between an individual's
languages and the social contexts in which they
communicate.
Example: A person named Ali speaks Urdu at home
with family, uses English at work for professionalism,
and chats in Punjabi with close friends.
• Urdu reflects his connection to his cultural
heritage.
• English is part of his professional identity.
• Punjabi shows his bond with his social circle.
Stancetaking
Stancetaking: Expressing opinions or positions.

“Stancetaking refers to the act of

"I strongly believe that renewable
expressing a particular attitude,
energy is the future, and we must
opinion, or position on an issue, topic,
invest in it now to prevent further
or situation during a conversation or
damage to our planet."
communication.”
A white British teenager, who typically
speaks with a British accent, starts using
“Crossing refers to the act of switching
African American Vernacular English
or blending linguistic codes, often in a
(AAVE) when chatting with their Black
way that challenges social or cultural
friends.
boundaries.”
 To Conclude
This presentation explored what happens when languages – or more aptly,
speakers of languages – come into contact. There are many different paths to
multilingualism, and many different ways of using multiple languages. We
look at three main theoretical approaches to the study of multilingual
discourse – Communication Accommodation Theory, the Markedness Model,
and the study of language choice as part of the social construction of
identity. In this final section, we see how the study of multilingualism and the
study of the uses of different dialects of the same language revolve around
the same principles.
Thankyou!
If you have
any
question,
you can;
 ANY
QUESTION?
 Have you ever been ashamed of
speaking more than one language,
or of being a speaker of a
particular language?

Do you have different emotional

attachments to your different
languages?

If you had children, would you

raise them multilingually? Why or
why not?
Thank you!