This course course deals with different aspects of historical and contemporary multilingualism in the Low Countries. Theoretical discussions of relevant concepts from international language contact and language planning research will serve as a basis for an array of case studies from the Dutch language area and beyond.
Target audience
This course is aimed at undergrad students interested in social, cultural and historical aspects of language contact and multilingualism. Knowledge of Dutch will not be required, and students from various disciplines in the humanities are encouraged to enroll. Taught in English.
Assessment
25% Class participation and required reading
students have to do required reading before each class
be prepared to give a brief summary of the reading in class
active participation in class discussions, based on critical questions about the reading
20% Midterm paper: state of the art report
literature study of one of the theoretical concepts discussed in class or in the readings
overview of recent work in the field
based on library research, secondary literature
demonstrate a thorough understanding of the concept under discussion
possible topics: corpus/status/acquisition planning, language shift, code switching, standardization, language ecology, language policy and minority languages, multilingual education and language education policy, pidgin/creole formation,
dialect contact, dialect leveling and loss, language contact and linguistic change, borrowing, transfer, diglossia, etc.
1500-2500 words (excluding references; use APA or any other common citation style)
submission: in hard copy and by email, no later than the end of class on March 13th.
10% Class presentation of state of the art report
brief (ca. 15-20 minute) presentation of the theoretical concept discussed in the midterm paper
leading a short class discussion on how this relates to some of the cases discussed already
30% Final paper: case study
exploration of a specific present-day and/or historical case study involving language planning or language contact (not necessarily limited to the Low Countries!)
based on extensive library research
combining a sound theoretical basis with an extensive overview of the case
can be a continuation of the mid-term paper (but doesn't need to be)
2500-4000 words (excluding references; use APA or any other common citation style)
submission: in hard copy and by email, no later than May 4th.
15% Class presentation of case study
more elaborate class presentation (ca. 30-40 minutes) of the proposed case study
integrating relevant theoretical frameworks and the actual case discussed
one week before the presentation: provide a copy of one or two essential readings for your case study, so that other students can fully prepare for your presentation (max. 30 pages in total)
preparing questions for discussion, leading the class discussion
Students will be expected to read between two and four journal articles or book chapters to prepare for each class. Reading material will be made available on Blackboard on a weekly basis as the course progresses.
One of the key texts is Myers-Scotton (2006, Multiple voices. An introduction to bilingualism, Malden (MA): Wiley-Blackwell). Students are advised to acquire a copy of this work.
Theoretical introduction: societal multilingualism and language contact
1/19 + 1/24
Required reading:
Chapter 3 “Multilingualism in nations and individuals”. Thomason, S. G. (2001). Language contact. An introduction. Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
Chapter 11, “Language contact”. Meyerhoff, M. (2011). Introducing sociolinguistics. 2de ed. London / New York: Routledge.
Additional reading:
Chapter 1. Winford, D. (2003). An introduction to contact linguistics. Malden (MA): Wiley-Blackwell.
Hickey, R. 2010. Language Contact: Reconsideration and Reassessment. In: Hickey, R. (ed.). The Handbook of Language Contact. Malden, AM: Wiley-Blackwell.
Theoretical introduction: language planning
1/26 + 1/31
Required reading:
Chapter 12, “Language Policies and Globalization”. Myers-Scotton, C. (2006). Multiple voices. An introduction to bilingualism. Malden (MA): Wiley-Blackwell.
Chapters 1-2. Cooper, R. L. (1989). Language planning and social change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Additional reading:
Chapter 2, “Diglossia”. Fasold, R. (1984). The sociolinguistics of society. Oxford: Blackwell. Wright, S. (2007). “Language policy and language planning.” In: Llamas, C., L. Mullany & P. Stockwell (eds.), The Routledge companion to sociolinguistics, London / New York: Routledge, pp. 164-72.
Chapter 1, “Societal multilingualism”. Fasold, R. (1984). The sociolinguistics of society. Oxford: Blackwell.
Clyne, M. (1997). “Multilingualism.” In: Coulmas, F. (ed.), The handbook of sociolinguistics, Malden (MA): Blackwell, pp. 301-14.
Chapter 6, “Multilingualism and language choice”. Meyerhoff, M. (2011). Introducing sociolinguistics. 2nd ed. London / New York: Routledge.
Haugen, E. (1966 [1968]). “Dialect, language, nation.” In: Dil, A. S. (ed.), The Ecology of Language. Essays by Einar Haugen, Stanford: Stanford UP, pp. 237-54.
General introduction: the Low Countries past and present
1/31
Required reading:
Pp. 9-15 & 53-73. Daniëls, W. (2005). Talking Dutch. Transl. L. Watkinson. Rekkem: Ons Erfdeel.
Judt, T. (2005). “Is there a Belgium? Brief initiation to Belgium life and to this country’s history.” In: How can one not be interested in Belgian history. War, language and consensus in Belgium since 1830, Dublin / Gent: University College Dublin / Academia Press, pp. 83-100.
Beheydt, L. (1995). “The linguistic situation in the new Belgium.” In: Wright, S. (ed.), Languages in contact and conflict. Contrasting experiences in the Netherlands and Belgium, Clevedon: Multilingual Matters, pp. 48-64.
2/07
Required reading:
Willemyns, R. (2002). “The Dutch-French Language Border in Belgium”. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 23 (1-2): 36-49.
Aunger, E. A. (1993). “Regional, national, and official languages in Belgium”. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 104: 31-48.
Additional reading:
Kossman-Putto, J. A. & E. H. Kossman (1996). The Low Countries. History of the Northern and Southern Netherlands. Rekkem: Ons Erfdeel.
French in Flanders: language conflict and social stratification
2/14
Required reading:
Nelde, P. (1997). “Language conflict.” In: Coulmas, F. (ed.), The handbook of sociolinguistics, Malden (MA): Blackwell, pp. 285-300.
Vandenbussche, W., J. De Groof, E. Vanhecke, & R. Willemyns (2004). “Historical sociolinguistics in Flanders. Rediscovering the 19th century.” In: Christen, H. (ed.), Dialekt, Regiolekt und Standardsprache im sozialen und zeitlichen Raum, Wien: Edition Praesens Verlag, pp. 49-80.
Additional reading:
Vandenbussche, W. (2009). “Historical language planning in nineteenth-century Flanders. Standardisation as a means of language survival.” In: Omdal, H. & R. Røsstad (eds.), Språknormering. I tide og utide?, Oslo: Novus Forlag, pp. 255-68.
Witte, E. & H. Van Velthoven (1999). Language and politics. The Belgian case study in a historical perspective. Brussels: VUB-Press.
Language shift and language maintenance: the case of Dutch in France
2/21
Required reading:
Chapter 4, “Language Maintenance and Shift”. Myers-Scotton, C. (2006). Multiple voices. An introduction to bilingualism. Malden (MA): Wiley-Blackwell.
Willemyns, R. (1997). “Language Shift Through Erosion: The Case of the French-Flemish ‘Westhoek’”. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 18 (1): 54-66.
Ryckeboer, H. (2002). “Dutch/Flemish in the North of France”. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 23 (1-2): 22-35.
Knooihuizen, Remco (2012). The use of historical demography for historical sociolinguistics. The case of Dunkirk. In: Langer, N., S. Davies & W. Vandenbussche (eds.), Language and History, Linguistics and Historiography, Bern: Peter Lang, 323-340.
+ Q&A for midterm presentations and paper
Midterm student presentations: state of the art reports Regional minority languages: Frisian
2/28
Required reading:
Gorter, D., C. Van der Meer, & A. Riemersma (2008). “Frisian in the Netherlands.” In:
Extra, G. & W. Gorter (eds.), Multilingual Europe. Facts and policies, Berlin / New York: Mouton de Gruyter, pp. 185-206.
Additional reading:
Gorter, D. (1996). “Dutch-West Frisian.” In: Goebl, H., P. Nelde, S. Zdenek, & W. Wölck (eds.), Kontaktlinguistik. Ein internationales Handbuch zeitgenössischer Forschung, Berlin / New York: Walter de Gruyter, pp. 1152-57.
Gorter, D. (2001). “A Frisian update of reversing language shift.” In: Fishman, J. A. (eds.), Can threatened languages be saved? Reversing language shift, revisited: a 21st century perspective, Clevedon / Buffalo: Multilingual Matters, pp. 215-33.
Language contact and isolation: sociolinguistic typology
3/13
Required reading:
(two of the following three chapters)
Trudgill, P. (2009). “Sociolinguistic typology and complexification.” In: Sampson, G., D. Gil, & P. Trudgil (eds.), Language complexity as an evolving variable, Oxford: OUP, pp. 98-109.
Trudgill, P. (2010). “Contact and sociolinguistic typology.” In: Hickey, R. (ed.), The handbook of language contact, Malden (MA): Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 299-319.
Trudgill, P. (2011). “Social structure, language contact and language change.” In: Wodak, R., B. Johnstone, & P. Kerswill (eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Sociolinguistics, London: Sage, pp. 236-48.
Additional reading:
Trudgill, P. (2010). Investigations in sociohistorical linguistics. Stories of colonisation and contact. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Available at the library]
Trudgill, P. (2011). Sociolinguistic typology. Social determinants of linguistic complexity. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Available at the library]
Chapter 11, “Age of Acquisition and a Second Language”. Myers-Scotton, C. (2006). Multiple voices. An introduction to bilingualism. Malden (MA): Wiley-Blackwell.
Grosjean, F. (2004). Studying bilinguals. Methodological and conceptual issues. In: Bhatia, T. & W. Ritchie (eds.), The Handbook of Bilingualism, Malden (MA): Blackwell, pp. 32-64.
Abutalebi, J. (2008). Neural aspects of second language representation and language control. Acta psychologica 128, 466-478.
Additional reading:
Van de Craen, P., E. Ceuleers, K. Mondt, & L. Allain (2008). “European multilingual language politics in Belgium and policy-driven research.” In: Lauridsen, K. M. & D. Toudic (eds.), Languages at work in Europe. Festschrift in honour of Professor Wolfgang Mackiewicz, Göttingen: V&R Unipress, pp. 139-52.
Bollen, K. & K. Baten (2010). “Bilingual education in Flanders. Policy and press debate (1999-2006)”. Modern Language Journal 94 (3): 412-33.
Hornberger, N. H. (2009). “Multilingual education policy and practice. Ten certainties (grounded in Indigenous experience)”. Language Teaching 42: 197-211.
Dialect contact, dialect leveling and dialect loss in Dutch
3/27
Required reading:
Auer, P. (2011). “Dialect vs. standard: a typology of scenarios in Europe.” In: Kortmann, B. & J. Van der Auwera (red.), The languages and linguistics of Europe. A comprehensive guide., Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, pp. 485-500.
Vandekerckhove, R. (2009). “Dialect loss and dialect vitality in Flanders”. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 196/197: 73-97.
Goss, E. & R. Howell (2006). “Social and structural factors in the development of Dutch urban dialects in the Early Modern period.” In: Cravens, T. D. (ed.), Variation and reconstruction, Amsterdam: John Benjamins, pp. 59-88.
Grondelaers, S. & R. Van Hout (2011). “The Standard Language Situation in the Low Countries: Top-Down and Bottom-Up Variations on a Diaglossic Theme”. Journal of Germanic Linguistics 23 (03): 199-243.
Additional reading:
Vandekerckhove, R. (2005). “Belgian Dutch versus Netherlandic Dutch: new patterns of divergence? On pronouns of address and diminutives”. Multilingua 24 (4): 379-97.
Howell, R. (2006). “Immigration and koineisation. The formation of Early Modern Dutch urban vernaculars”. Transactions of the Philological Society 104 (2): 207-27.
Kerswill, P. & A. Williams (2000). “Creating a new town koine. Children and language change in Milton Keynes”. Language in Society 29: 65-115.
Kerswill, P. & P. Trudgill (2005). “The birth of new dialects.” In: Auer, P., F. Hinskens, & P. Kerswill (eds.), Dialect change: convergence and divergence in European languages, Cambridge: CUP, pp. 196-220.
Brussels as a multilingual melting pot
4/3
Required reading:
Verlot, M. & K. Delrue (2004). “Multilingualism in Brussels.” In: Extra, G. & K. Yagmur (eds.), Urban multilingualism in Europe. Immigrant minority languages at home and school, Clevedon / Buffalo: Multilingual Matters, pp. 221-50.
Janssens, R. (2008). “Language use in Brussels and the position of Dutch. Some recent findings”. Brussels Studies 13: 1-14.
Van Istendael, G. (2005). “In Brussels the word language has no singular.” In: How can one not be interested in Belgian history. War, language and consensus in Belgium since 1830, Dublin / Gent: University College Dublin / Academia Press, pp. 83-100.
Extra, G. & K. Yagmur (2005). “Sociolinguistic perspectives on emerging multilingualism in urban Europe”. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 175: 17-40.
Additional reading:
Mettewie, L. & R. Janssens (2007). “Language use and language attitudes in Brussels.” In: Lasagabaster, D. & Á. Huguet (eds.), Multilingualism in European bilingual contexts. Language use and attitudes, Clevedon: Multilingual Matters, pp. 117-43. 135.
Treffers-Daller, J. (2002). “Language use and language contact in Brussels”. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 23 (1-2): 50-64.
+ Q&A for presentations and final paper
Final student presentations
4/10
No required reading.
Colloquium: ‘The Dutch connection’
4/17
Required reading:
to be announced.
Additional reading:
to be announced.
External influences on Dutch and the ‘language gardening’ tradition