The language glossary - Clarifying concepts
By Debbie Harris, Contributor

WELCOME TO another week of learning new communication skills! I trust you found our previous lesson on 'What is language?' useful. This week we will be attempting to establish definitions for the concepts which are integral in this module called Language and Community.

You will recall that definitions for language and a language were given last week. So, we will not be discussing these again but just in case anyone might not have seen them, here are brief explanations: language is the verbal form of human expression and a language is any distinct system of verbal expression, distinguished from other such systems by its peculiarities of structure and vocabulary ­ for example, English, Spanish and Japanese. It is not only important that you know these definitions but also that you use them carefully and appropriately as you express your ideas about language and community. Do not use them interchangeably, they are not synonyms.

The term language community is used in reference to all the speakers of a particular language. This means that they do not have to reside within the same geographical location. English speakers, as you are aware live in several parts of the world: so too do Spanish speakers ­ some live in Spain, some in Cuba and still others in Panama. Now, the Spanish/English in each of these locations vary in structure and vocabulary, these variations are known as dialects. So a dialect is one of the various forms of a particular language, spoken by a group in the language community. For example, Jamaican Standard English, American Standard English and British Standard English are all dialects of English. There are also non-standard dialects, such as Black English/Ebonics in the USA and Cockney in England.

Variation is not only among dialects but also within an individual dialect of a language. A speaker of any language can choose to speak in a form which may range from a level of formality to one of informality. This form (formality to informality) is referred to as a register. For example, in Jamaica, Standard English is a formal register and Jamaican Creole (Patois) is a more informal register. The words colloquial and vernacular are used to label some informal registers.

Another concept which you must understand fully is Creole. There have been several theories which have been given for the origin of this language form and numerous definitions have been submitted, and no doubt some of you have met such in your extensive reading, but the one which we will use for this course is the following: A Creole is a new language formed from the contact between different languages. It is based on a combination of features of the original languages, along with its own new features. In situations of forced contact such as existed in the Caribbean during slavery, the speakers of the original languages (European on the one hand, African and indigenous on the other) did not know each others' languages, so they invented a rudimentary form of communication drawing on the features of the original languages. These were not Creoles, since they were not fully fledged languages. They were referred to as pidgins. But the descendants of slaves born in the new situation developed their own native languages from the combination of features from African and European languages and added other features of their own to produce fully fledged languages. These are Creoles.

Finally, each country has its idiosyncrasies regarding the languages used within its borders and Jamaica is no exception. The Jamaican Language situation is referred to as a continuum. It depicts the range of languages and language dialects spoken in Jamaica. (Indeed there are a few other Caribbean territories which are described in a similar manner.) This range is represented as a continuum because:

Not every point on the continuum is a separate language

Jamaicans will switch from one to the other continuously in conversation and in different situations and
According to some linguists, the Creole is continuously changing and becoming more like English. (Decreolisation)

Look at the diagram below which should give you a visual image of the Jamaican Language Continuum.

BASILECT MESOLECT ACROLECT

BASILECT is the form of Creole with more African derived features than other forms and is said to be the first point on the continuum. It is most often spoken in rural areas and by uneducated persons.

MESOLECT is the form of Creole with more English derived features than the basilect and is said to be the point on the continuum next to the basilect. It is most often spoken by urban and educated persons.

ACROLECT is the Jamaican Standard English and it is the last point on the continuum. It is most often spoken in formal situations.

Undoubtedly this notion that each form is most often spoken by particular persons is debatable as the increased accessibility of new technological mediums of communication throughout the country has enabled Jamaicans to choose even more freely any variety they wish to use along the continuum.

For more information read The West Indians and Their Language by Peter Roberts. How are the Reflective pieces coming along? I will give some pointers on this Internal Assessment during the weeks to come.

Until next week, walk good!