I am a lecturer in Linguistics at the University of Manchester, UK. I completed my PhD in Linguistics at the University of Manchester in August 2021. I was Research Assistant on the Multilingual Manchester research unit (the University of Manchester) from 2014 to 2021, conducting Sociolinguistic research and public engagement activities on the topic of urban multilingualism. My PhD project develops an overarching approach to understanding ‘language’ and ‘community’ in globalised urban settings, exploring Arabic language practices, language maintenance and language provisions across settings (family, supplementary schools, businesses, interpreting & translation) in Manchester, UK. Beyond my PhD research, I have conducted research and co-authored a series of reports and publications on linguistic landscapes, supplementary schools, and language provisions in healthcare.
Drawing on a corpus of annotated images that capture the linguistic landscape of a resi- dential ... more Drawing on a corpus of annotated images that capture the linguistic landscape of a resi- dential neighbourhood in Greater Manchester (UK) with a large Hasidic-Haredi (so-called ‘ultra-Orthodox’) Jewish population, we show how choices within a multilingual repertoire are both indicative and constitutive of different communicative acts and illocutions. Written Yiddish is embedded into an established tradition of literacy where creativity is accompanied by authoritative citations from Hebrew scripture. We discuss the use of Yiddish in affective, appellative, mobilising, regulatory and prohibitive actions. Semi- public use of written Yiddish is directed at participants who share a repertoire of closely intertwined social, religious and linguistic practices. Unlike many other lesser-used lan- guages, the use of Yiddish in Haredi communities is not restricted to indexical identity flagging or commodification purposes. We show how in this multilingual setting, the indexical ordering of languages on written artefacts does not represent a hierarchy of absolute valorisation but rather a complementarity of functions that draws on simulta- neous activation of several repertoire components.
Drawing on a corpus of annotated images that capture the linguistic landscape of a resi- dential ... more Drawing on a corpus of annotated images that capture the linguistic landscape of a resi- dential neighbourhood in Greater Manchester (UK) with a large Hasidic-Haredi (so-called ‘ultra-Orthodox’) Jewish population, we show how choices within a multilingual repertoire are both indicative and constitutive of different communicative acts and illocutions. Written Yiddish is embedded into an established tradition of literacy where creativity is accompanied by authoritative citations from Hebrew scripture. We discuss the use of Yiddish in affective, appellative, mobilising, regulatory and prohibitive actions. Semi- public use of written Yiddish is directed at participants who share a repertoire of closely intertwined social, religious and linguistic practices. Unlike many other lesser-used lan- guages, the use of Yiddish in Haredi communities is not restricted to indexical identity flagging or commodification purposes. We show how in this multilingual setting, the indexical ordering of languages on written artefacts does not represent a hierarchy of absolute valorisation but rather a complementarity of functions that draws on simulta- neous activation of several repertoire components.
Uploads
Papers by Leonie Gaiser