Re: Diglossia (was Re: New to the List, too)

Ugh... I forgot I actually had diglossia in a conculture...

Many 'Westernized Techians' do not speak Tech -- neither the Modern Standard
Tech of the State or any of the major dialects like Qot'ila, Ma`ou, Tok,
Highland etc. -- as a first language, but a form of English or Portuguese
that's half creole, half 'pure' language.  Basically they speak typical
African-American or Caribbean English and Brazilian Portuguese, both with
Tech words thrown in.  They are required to study Tech throughout schooling,
from nursery school to the lyceum (a high-school combined with a junior
college and a vocational technical school; schooling is vigorous and
standards are very high but Techia has virtual 100% literacy after all).  So
the result is diglossia among the Techians who culturally and linguistically
assimilated into American or Brazilian society.

Though the state church is Techian Orthodoxy, all groups have religious
freedom; the creolized Techians are variously Roman Catholic, Anglican,
Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist...

Daniel A. Wier  ¶¦¬þ
Lufkin, Texas USA
http://communities.msn.com/DannysDoubleWideontheWeb
________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com