A semiotic approach to language ideologies: Modelling the changing Icelandic languagescape
Attempts have been made to examine how speakers frame linguistic varieties by employing social semiotic models. Using ethnographic data collected over many years, this article applies such a model to Iceland, once described as the ‘e-coli of linguistics’ – its size, historical isolation and relative...
Published in: | Sign Systems Studies |
---|---|
Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
University of Tartu Press
2020
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 https://doi.org/10.12697/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 |
id |
fttartuunivojs:oai:ojs.utlib.ee:article/17087 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
fttartuunivojs:oai:ojs.utlib.ee:article/17087 2023-05-15T16:49:57+02:00 A semiotic approach to language ideologies: Modelling the changing Icelandic languagescape Leonard, Stephen Pax 2020-12-31 application/pdf http://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 https://doi.org/10.12697/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 eng eng University of Tartu Press http://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05/11966 http://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 doi:10.12697/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 Sign Systems Studies; Vol. 48 No. 2-4 (2020); 271-296 1736-7409 1406-4243 10.12697/48.2-4 language ideology semiotics Icelandic purism info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Peer-reviewed Article 2020 fttartuunivojs https://doi.org/10.12697/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 https://doi.org/10.12697/48.2-4 2021-06-23T23:01:52Z Attempts have been made to examine how speakers frame linguistic varieties by employing social semiotic models. Using ethnographic data collected over many years, this article applies such a model to Iceland, once described as the ‘e-coli of linguistics’ – its size, historical isolation and relative linguistic homogeneity create conditions akin to a sociolinguistic laboratory. This semiotic model of language ideologies problematizes the prevailing discourse of linguistic purism at a time of sociolinguistic upheaval. The analysis shows how an essentializing scheme at the heart of Icelandic language policy ensured that linguistic “anomalies” such as “dative disease” and “genitive phobia” indexed essential differences. “Impure” language was indicative of un-Icelandicness. Once monolingual (indeed monodialectal), the Icelandic speech community is increasingly characterized by innovative linguistic transgressions which thus far have not been instrumentalized by language policy makers. It is shown how a semiotic model can help us analyse the function of language ideologies more generally. Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland University of Tartu: ojs.utlib.ee Sign Systems Studies 48 2-4 271 296 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tartu: ojs.utlib.ee |
op_collection_id |
fttartuunivojs |
language |
English |
topic |
language ideology semiotics Icelandic purism |
spellingShingle |
language ideology semiotics Icelandic purism Leonard, Stephen Pax A semiotic approach to language ideologies: Modelling the changing Icelandic languagescape |
topic_facet |
language ideology semiotics Icelandic purism |
description |
Attempts have been made to examine how speakers frame linguistic varieties by employing social semiotic models. Using ethnographic data collected over many years, this article applies such a model to Iceland, once described as the ‘e-coli of linguistics’ – its size, historical isolation and relative linguistic homogeneity create conditions akin to a sociolinguistic laboratory. This semiotic model of language ideologies problematizes the prevailing discourse of linguistic purism at a time of sociolinguistic upheaval. The analysis shows how an essentializing scheme at the heart of Icelandic language policy ensured that linguistic “anomalies” such as “dative disease” and “genitive phobia” indexed essential differences. “Impure” language was indicative of un-Icelandicness. Once monolingual (indeed monodialectal), the Icelandic speech community is increasingly characterized by innovative linguistic transgressions which thus far have not been instrumentalized by language policy makers. It is shown how a semiotic model can help us analyse the function of language ideologies more generally. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Leonard, Stephen Pax |
author_facet |
Leonard, Stephen Pax |
author_sort |
Leonard, Stephen Pax |
title |
A semiotic approach to language ideologies: Modelling the changing Icelandic languagescape |
title_short |
A semiotic approach to language ideologies: Modelling the changing Icelandic languagescape |
title_full |
A semiotic approach to language ideologies: Modelling the changing Icelandic languagescape |
title_fullStr |
A semiotic approach to language ideologies: Modelling the changing Icelandic languagescape |
title_full_unstemmed |
A semiotic approach to language ideologies: Modelling the changing Icelandic languagescape |
title_sort |
semiotic approach to language ideologies: modelling the changing icelandic languagescape |
publisher |
University of Tartu Press |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 https://doi.org/10.12697/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 |
genre |
Iceland |
genre_facet |
Iceland |
op_source |
Sign Systems Studies; Vol. 48 No. 2-4 (2020); 271-296 1736-7409 1406-4243 10.12697/48.2-4 |
op_relation |
http://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05/11966 http://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/sss/article/view/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 doi:10.12697/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.12697/SSS.2020.48.2-4.05 https://doi.org/10.12697/48.2-4 |
container_title |
Sign Systems Studies |
container_volume |
48 |
container_issue |
2-4 |
container_start_page |
271 |
op_container_end_page |
296 |
_version_ |
1766040122796539904 |