Towards a sociolinguistics of superdiversity

Abstract

The notion of 'superdiversity' has engaged scholars beyond the field of sociolinguistics. In this paper we propose to shift the gaze to the linguistic, focusing on the ways in which the new diversity becomes the site of negotiations over linguistic resources, and to widen the scope of debate. the ways in which people negotiate access to resources in increasingly diverse societies are changing. Looking at these phenomena through a sociolinguistic lens is key to a developed understanding of superdiverse societies. García proposes the term 'translanguaging' to refer to the multiple discursive practices in which multilingual speakers engage in order to make sense of their worlds. translanguaging goes beyond code-switching, but incorporates it. García points out that multilinguals translanguage to include and facilitate communication with others, but also to construct deeper understandings. translanguaging includes but extends what others have called language use and language contact among multilinguals. rather than focusing on the language itself, translanguaging makes it apparent that there are no clear-cut boundaries between the languages of bilinguals. this paper draws on sociolinguistic ethnographic research projects which investigate the linguistic practices of children and young people in and around complementary (community-language) schools, to argue that multilingual young people in english cities access a wide range of semiotic resources in ways which are not bounded as 'languages'. In developing a sociolinguistics of superdiversity we should look closely at practices of translanguaging, and consider the histories, geographies, and discourses which shape them.Zusammenfassung: Der Begriff der Superdiversität beschäftigt auch wissenschaftler außerhalb des Feldes der Soziolinguistik. In diesem Beitrag schlagen wir vor, den Blick auf die Frage der Sprache zu richten und sich auf die wege zu konzentrieren, in denen die neue Diversität zum raum für Verhandlungen über sprachliche ressourcen wird. Die Art und weise, mit der sich Menschen in zunehmend diversifizierten Gesellschaften Zugang zu Ressourcen verschaffen, Z Erziehungswiss (2010) 13:549-572 550 A. creese and A. Blackledge ändert sich. Ein Zugang zum tieferen Verständnis von superdiversen Gesellschaften eröffnet sich, wenn man solche phänomene aus soziolinguistischer perspektive betrachtet. Garcia schlägt den Begriff "translanguaging" vor, der auf die multiplen diskursiven praxen verweist, in denen mehrsprachige Sprecher den Sinn ihrer welten erfassen. Translanguaging (für das es keinen deutschen Ausdruck gibt; gemeint ist: in Mehrsprachigkeit -sprachübergreifend -agieren) geht über Code Switching im Sinne des wechselns zwischen Sprachen hinaus, schließt dies aber mit ein. Garcia weist darauf hin, dass Mehrsprachige in dieser weise agieren, um kommunikation mit anderen zu erleichtern -aber auch um tieferes Verständnis zu erreichen. Translanguaging schließt ein, und geht gleichzeitig über das hinaus, was als Sprachgebrauch und Sprachkontakt zwischen Mehrsprac...

Super Dimensions in Globalisation and Education

“…Ethnographic studies show that the respective practices are not reserved to migrants alone, but can rather be identifi ed as -probably temporaryjargons of groups in immigrant countries, especially among the youth (Creese and Blackledge 2010). Innovative technical developments, such as 'social media', obviously contribute to linguistic diversity as they are, for example, appropriate for the communication in transnational migrant communities (Androutsopoulos 2011).…”

Translanguaging in kasi-taal: Rethinking old language boundaries for new language planning

“…Increased movements of people between and within nation states in the 21 st century have correspondingly resulted in movements of languages and shifting of traditional boundaries (Makoni and Pennycook 2007, Makoni and Mashiri 2007, Creese and Blackledge 2010. This new development has spurred interest among sociolinguists who started shifting their attention to language and mobility in superdiverse communities.…”

“…Well-known studies were conducted in schools in the United Kingdom (UK) to assess the pedagogic efficacy of translanguaging in multilingual classrooms. Separate studies by Creese and Blackledge (2010) and Wei (2011) have found that allowing students to use their linguistic resources creates positive experiences at school and maximises pedagogic and cognitive benefits. In South Africa, emerging studies by Madiba (2013) and Makalela (2013) have shown cognitive advantages in literacy and language classes at two tertiary institutions, namely the University of Cape Town and the University of the Witwatersrand.…”

“…It is almost axiomatic that traditional language boundaries in highly multilingual and hybrid communities are increasingly blurred as new discursive linguistic resources emerge (Blommaert 2010, Garcia 2011, Creese and Blackledge 2010. Both migration patterns towards the developed countries and translocal movements that are facilitated by rapid urbanisation have created new sites of linguistic and identity negotiation in the 21 st century, which characterise what Blommaert (2010) refers to as a "critical sociolinguistics of globalisation".…”

“…Both migration patterns towards the developed countries and translocal movements that are facilitated by rapid urbanisation have created new sites of linguistic and identity negotiation in the 21 st century, which characterise what Blommaert (2010) refers to as a "critical sociolinguistics of globalisation". A plethora of studies that are framed within translanguaging -a new approach to understanding multilingual speakers' use of more than one linguistic code in their everyday way of speaking -has shown that mobile linguistic resources are exerting pressure on monolingual practices and ideologies world-wide (Baker 2011, Blommaert 2010, Creese and Blackledge 2010, Shohamy 2006. While translanguaging encompasses instances of code-switching in language contact situations, it differs from traditional conceptions of codeswitching in that the starting point is not language as an autonomous skill.…”