Caint na nDaoine in action in Gaeltacht na nDéise: Code-Mixing, Code-Switching or Translanguaging?

Abstract

Code-mixing, code-switching and latterly translanguaging are concepts that are well-researched in the concept of bilingual communities, especially from a sociolinguistics perspective. This paper explores a corpus of interviews from speakers living in Gaeltacht na nDéise, in the South-East of Ireland. The data, in both Irish and English, was originally part of a mixed methods study that included a largescale community study of 497 households. Using a corpus linguistics methodology, we coded all instances of language change and analysed them systematically. Using a bottom-up approach, we explore whether current concepts of code-mixing, code-switching or translanguaging can help explain the data. Our results show, across the data, instances of code-mixing, code-switching and translanguaging occurring across both parts-of-speech, discourse items and within utterances. We note a prevalence of nouns in the English interviews and pragmatic markers in the Irish interviews, and to a lesser degree, adjectives and quotatives, as sites where language pivots appear to be more likely. In this study code-mixing, switching and translanguaging are brought together to illuminate our data and each offers a perspective that helps is better conceptualise how language is being used.

Is coincheapa iad  an códmheascadh, an códmhalartú agus an trasteangú atá saothraithe go maith sa taighde ar an bpobal dátheangach, go háirithe ó pheirspictíocht na sochtheangeolaíochta de. Déanann an t-alt taighde seo iniúchadh ar  chorpas agallamh le cainteoirí a chónaíonn i nGaeltacht na nDéise, in Oirdheisceart na hÉireann. Ba chuid de staidéar modhanna measctha  ó thosach a bhí sna sonraí  seo, idir Bhéarla agus Ghaeilge a chuimsigh staidéar pobail ar 497 teaghlach. Ag baint úsáid as modheolaíocht teangeolaíochta corpais, códaíodh gach cás den athrú teanga agus rinneadh anailís chórasach air. Ag baint úsáid as cur chuige ón ithir aníos, féachtar le míniú a sholáthar ar na sonraí, féachaint an é an códmheascadh, an códmhalartú nó an trasteangú atá i gceist. Léiríonn na sonraí i gcoitinne go bhfuil ann don chódmheascadh, an códmhalartú agus an trasteangú i gcodanna cainte, i míreanna dioscúrsa agus laistigh de ráitis. Tugtar faoi deara go bhfuil ainmfhocail le sonrú sna hagallaimh Bhéarla agus marcóirí pragmatacha sna hagallaimh Ghaeilge, agus go pointe áirithe, feidhmíonn aidiachtaí agus athfhriotail chomh maith mar shuíomhanna ina n-athraíonn an teanga. Sa staidéar seo, tugtar códmhalartú, códmheascadh agus trasteangú le chéile chun ár sonraí a shoiléiriú agus cuireann gach ceann acu faoi leith peirspictíocht ar  fáil a chabhraíonn linn coincheapú níos fearr a dhéanamh ar an gcaoi a bhfuil an teanga á húsáid sa phobal.