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Creole Discourse
Exploring prestige formation and change across Caribbean English-lexicon Creoles
Creole languages are characteristically associated with a negative image. How has this prestige been formed? And is it as static as the diglossic situation in many anglo-creolophone societies seems to suggest? This volume examines socio-historical and epistemological factors in the prestige formation of Caribbean English-Lexicon Creoles and subjects their classification as a (socio)linguistic type to scrutiny and critical debate. In its analysis of rich empirical data this study also demonstrates that the uses, functions and negotiations of Creole within particular social and linguistic practices have shifted considerably. Rather than limiting its scope to one "national" speech community, the discussion focusses on changes of the social meaning of Creole in various discursive fields, such as inter generational changes of Creole use in the London Diaspora, diachronic changes of Creole representation in written texts, and diachronic changes of Creole representation in translation. The study employs a discourse analytical approach drawing on linguistic models as well as Foucauldian theory.
[Creole Language Library, 24] 2002. xiv, 331 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Published online on 21 October 2008
Published online on 21 October 2008
© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Table of Contents
- Abbreviations and transcription conventions | pp. ix–x
- List of tables and figures | pp. xi–xii
- Acknowledgments | pp. xiii–xiv
- Introduction. Creole discourse: Exploring prestige formation and change across Caribbean English-lexicon Creoles | pp. 3–22
- Chapter 1. Defining language prestige: The positioning of Creole in linguistic and social parameters | pp. 23–54
- Chapter 2. Forming language prestige: Caribbean English-lexicon Creoles as prototypical low prestige languages | pp. 55–92
- Chapter 3. Negotiating language prestige: Towards a functional/discursive framework | pp. 93–134
- Chapter 4. From speech community to discourse communities: Changing Creole representations in the urban diaspora | pp. 135–182
- Chapter 5. From badge of authenticity to voice of authority: Changing Creole representations in writing | pp. 183–224
- Chapter 6. From invisibility to register variation: Changing Creole representations in translation | pp. 225–262
- Conclusion | pp. 263–268
- Works cited | pp. 269–286
- Appendix | pp. 287–319
“While the broad social structure of Anglophone Caribbean societies remains largely unchanged, the functions and treatment of Carribean English-lexicon creoles have shifted perceptibly during the last few decades. Mühleisen has undertaken a detailed study of this shift, focusing on the formation and development of prestige in specific environments and domains. Her dynamic approach contrasts significantly with the traditional static treatments of status, functions and attitudes where these language varieties are concerned. [...] Mühleisen is to be congratulated for her original and perceptive approach to the question of Creole prestige and for the thoroughness, clarity and consistency of her treatment. Her book undoubtedly marks another important milestone in creole studies.”
Pauline Christie, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica in Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages Vol. 20(2), 2005
“For a fresh (i.e. interdisciplinary) look at an old problem, Mühleisen’s book will be welcomed by sociolinguists, discourse theorists, anthropologists, and many others.”
Joseph T. Farquharson, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, in Language Vol. 83:3, 2007
“The book is to be commended not only for the empirical analyses but also for the way it brings together a variety of interesting aspects whose connections have so far not often been considered and its innovative approach to the issue of language prestige. It will be especially valuable for the more sociolinguistically oriented among Creolists but it also addresses questions which ought to be of more general interest in the field, such as the formation of the concept of Creole.”
Dagmar Deuber, University of Freiburg, in AAA, 1-2, 2005
“Mühleisen's major contribution with this book is to provide a solid rationale for understanding the need for a shift in how research into the complex nature of social prestige for Caribbean English-lexicon Creoles must be conducted.”
Elizabeth Grace Winkler, University of Arizona on Linguist List 15-724, 2004
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This list is based on CrossRef data as of 16 march 2026. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.