In this paper we introduce a computationally enriched experimental tool designed to investigate l... more In this paper we introduce a computationally enriched experimental tool designed to investigate language ideology (change). In a free response experiment, 211 respondents returned three adjectives in reaction to the labels for five regional varieties, one ethnic variety and two supra-regional varieties of Belgian Dutch, as well as the standard accent of Netherlandic Dutch. Valence information (pertaining to the positive/ negative character of the responses) and big data-based distributional analysis (to detect semantic similarity between the responses) were used to cluster the response adjectives into 11 positive and 11 negative evaluative dimensions. Correspondence analysis was subsequently used to compute and visualize the associations between these evaluative dimensions and the investigated language labels, in order to generate "perceptual maps" of the Belgian language repertoire. Contrary to our expectations, these maps unveiled not only the dominant value system which drives standard usage, but also the competing ideology which frames the increasingly occurring non-standard forms. In addition, they revealed a much richer stratification than the "one variety good, all other varieties bad" dichotomy we had anticipated: while VRT-Dutch remains the superior (albeit increasingly virtual) standard for Belgian Dutch, the stigmatized colloquial variety Tussentaal is gradually being accepted as a practical lingua franca, and the Ghent-accent is boosted by modern prestige (dynamism) features. Even more crucially, separate perceptual maps for the older and younger respondents lay bare generational change: there is a growing conceptual proximity between VRT-Dutch and Tussentaal in the younger perceptions.
Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 42 (1): 55–94, 2020
The impact of language and gender in negative reviews: an experimental study on perceived credibi... more The impact of language and gender in negative reviews: an experimental study on perceived credibility and consumer behaviour This paper explores the impact of language and gender on the perceptions of a negative online review and its writer. We set up an experiment with a 2 (lan-guage errors vs. no errors) x 2 (Standard Dutch vs. tussentaal, lit. 'in-between-language') x 2 (female vs. male reviewer) x 2 (female vs. male respondents) between-subjects design. 298 participants were asked to rate one scenario with a negative review on text credibility, usefulness, emotion, source intelligence , consumer intention and WOM-intention. The results show that both gender and language have a significant impact on the perceptions of the respondents. The perceived text credibility, intelligence of the reviewer, usefulness of the review and consumer intention are significantly lower when the negative review contains language errors and/or tussentaal features and when the reviewer is female. The Standard Dutch scenario without mistakes of the male reviewer generates the highest scores.
6) Ghyselen, A., S. Delarue & C. Lybaert (2016). Studying standard language dynamics in Europe: Advances, issues & perspectives. Taal & Tongval 68(2), 75-91.
This introductory paper provides an outline of the recent research on processes of destandardizat... more This introductory paper provides an outline of the recent research on processes of destandardization and demotization in national standard languages across Europe, with a focus on the standard language dynamics in the Dutch language area. On the basis of a state-of-the-art-description, a number of remaining theoretical and methodological issues are identified, which the papers included in this thematic issue address from multiple perspectives.
4) Lybaert, C., E. van Hest & S. Van Cleemputte (2019). Over de tweestrijd tussen taalnorm en taalrealiteit: hoe NT2-leerkrachten uit een Gentse school worstelen met substandaardtalige niet-standaardtalige variatie in het NT2-onderwijs. Internationale Neerlandistiek 57(3), 205-224., 2019
Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, shows a strong presence of non-standard language va... more Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, shows a strong presence of non-standard language varieties, such as tussentaal (lit. ‘in-between language’) or regional dialects. However, Dutch as a second language (L2) education in Flanders mainly focuses on (Belgian) Standard Dutch, the official language variety in Flanders. Newcomers settling in Flanders seem to experience a large gap between the standard language advocated in policy and education and the multitude of non-standard language varieties they encounter in daily interactions. L2 teachers in Flanders are thus dealing with students who often struggle to communicate with L1 speakers of Dutch. In this empirical study, we address this issue by probing the opinions of L2 teachers: do they believe tussentaal and dialects form a communication threshold for their students? To what extent do they focus on non-standard language during their lessons, and what reservations or doubts do they possibly have about teaching non-standard language in the classroom? To answer these questions, we draw on fieldwork conducted in the East Flemish city of Ghent.
This paper explores V2 variation in West Flemish and French Flemish dialects of Dutch based on an... more This paper explores V2 variation in West Flemish and French Flemish dialects of Dutch based on an extensive corpus of authentic spoken data. After taking stock of the existing literature, we probe into the effect of region, prosodic integration, form and function of the topicalised constituent, form of the Subject and the number of constituents in the prefield of inverted and non-inverted patterns. As such, this study is the first to carry out regression analysis on the combined impact of these variables in the entire West Flemish and French Flemish region, with additional visualisation of effect sizes. The results show that the phenomenon itself is generally more widespread than originally anticipated, with unexpected higher concentrations in continental West Flemish and lower frequencies in western West Flemish. With the exception of 'number of constituents in the prefield', all other variables had a significant impact on word order: clausal topicalised elements, elements that have peripheral functions and elements that lack prosodic integration all favour non-inverted patterns. The form of the subject also impacted word order, but it is sometimes overruled by discursive effects.
(Nederlands) Tegenwoordig wordt het Nederlands algemeen beschouwd als een voorbeeld van een pluri... more (Nederlands) Tegenwoordig wordt het Nederlands algemeen beschouwd als een voorbeeld van een pluricentrische taal, met het Belgisch Nederlands, Nederlands Nederlands en Surinaams Nederlands als gelijkwaardige variëteiten. Dat was echter vroeger allerminst het geval: tot vrij recent werd Belgisch Nederlands beschouwd als het insignificante kleine broertje van het 'echte' Nederlands, zoals het in Nederland werd gesproken. In deze bijdrage bekijken we hoe de positie van het Belgisch Nederlands geëvolueerd is, en hoe daarmee ook de taalattitudes van Vlamingen ten opzichte van hun eigen (standaard) taalgebruik en dat van Nederlanders volop aan verandering onderhevig zijn. Abstract (English) Nowadays Dutch is generally considered to be an example of a pluricentric language, with Belgian Dutch, Dutch Dutch and Surinamese Dutch as equal varieties. Formerly, this has not been the case at all; until quite recently, Belgian Dutch was considered a rather insignificant annex of 'real' Dutch as spoken in the Netherlands. In this contribution we discuss the position and evolution of Belgian Dutch, and how the attitudes of Flemings are changing towards their own (standard) language and towards the Dutch spoken in the Netherlands.
Standard Dutch, the key to integration in Flanders? About the challenges posed by non-standard Du... more Standard Dutch, the key to integration in Flanders? About the challenges posed by non-standard Dutch to language learners in Flanders Flanders strongly encourages newcomers to take language courses to learn the official language, on the assumption that certified competence in Dutch will enhance integration. However, in Dutch L2-education the focus lies on Standard Dutch, and this contrasts to everyday spoken encounters in Flanders, where Standard Dutch is rarely used. Despite the perceived importance of learning the official language of the host society, the attested contrast between policy and language reality has up to now not been given much attention. In this publication we go into the results of a linguistic-ethnographic study conducted with language learners living in East-Flanders. We show that non-standard Dutch used by L1-speakers of Dutch sometimes causes comprehension difficulties in their interactions with the language learners. Based on interactional and interview data, we reflect on the question if L2-education should pay more attention to non-standard Dutch in class.
T. Colleman e.a. (red.): Woorden om te bewaren. Huldeboek voor Jacques Van Keymeulen. Gent: Skribis, p. 651-661., 2018
Over Standaardnederlands spreken, en de inspanning die dat vraagt Chloé Lybaert* 1. Inleiding Het... more Over Standaardnederlands spreken, en de inspanning die dat vraagt Chloé Lybaert* 1. Inleiding Het taalgebruik van jongeren leidt vaak tot publieke bezorgdheid: jongeren kun-nen niet meer spellen, ze gebruiken te veel Engelse woorden, en ze trekken zich te weinig aan van de normen van het Standaardnederlands. Dit zijn slechts enkele van de bezorgdheden die over het taalgebruik van jongeren wel eens worden geuit. Bij die laatste bezorgdheid-namelijk het idee dat jongeren zich te weinig aantrekken van het Standaardnederlands-zullen we in dit artikel stilstaan. Er wordt namelijk wel eens gevreesd dat het (gesproken) Standaardnederlands in gevaar is, en dat zou te maken hebben met de opmars van tussentaal (zie ook § 2). In die opmars spelen jongeren onmiskenbaar een belangrijke rol: voor veel jongeren is tussentaal immers gewoon hun thuistaal, de variëteit die ze spreken wanneer ze niet specifiek moeite doen om iets anders te spreken. Voor verdedigers van het Standaardnederlands hoeft dat in principe 1 niet problematisch te zijn: als die jongeren daarnaast ook Standaardnederlands beheersen en in verschillende situaties ook spreken, is de norm niet noodzakelijk in gevaar. Problematisch wordt het pas (1) wanneer er geen of weinig situaties zijn waarin die jongeren ook effectief nog de nood voelen om Standaardnederlands te spreken én (2) wanneer jongeren gewoon ook niet in staat zijn de variëteit te spreken, omdat ze ze niet (helemaal) beheersen. In dit arti-kel zullen we stilstaan bij de opvattingen van jongeren hierover. Voor we dat doen, gaan we in § 2 kort in op de standaardiseringsideologie in Vlaanderen.
The position of Standard Dutch and tussentaal in Flanders: the opinions of adolescents from Tielt... more The position of Standard Dutch and tussentaal in Flanders: the opinions of adolescents from Tielt In this paper, the results of a perceptions and attitudes study in the West-Flemish town Tielt are reported. Twenty teenagers were subjected to an interview, to gain insight in the way they evaluate intralingual language variation in Flanders and how they judge on the situational appropriateness of this variation. These interviews were analysed by means of a qualitative discourse-based approach. The results show that Standard Dutch is still the superior variety to these teenagers (even though they are not that competent in it), and it is pre-eminently appropriate for more formal situations, which points to the existence of a standard language ideology. At the same time, Standard Dutch is considered an ideal which is hardly ever achieved, and a variety which is unsuitable for everyday informal situations. Tussentaal (lit. ‘in-between language’), on the other hand, is the adolescents’ default language, and is appropriate for everyday situations.
Dat West-Vlaanderen de meest dialectvaste regio is in Vlaanderen, is algemeen bekend. De West-Vla... more Dat West-Vlaanderen de meest dialectvaste regio is in Vlaanderen, is algemeen bekend. De West-Vlaamse dialecten worden typisch met bepaalde dialectkenmerken geassocieerd: in Over taal had Anne-Sophie Ghyselen (2017) het bijvoorbeeld nog over de g/h-verwarring, zowat het eerste kenmerk waar taalkundige leken aan denken wanneer hen gevraagd wordt om West-Vlaams te typeren. In deze bijdrage willen we het echter over een ander opvallend kenmerk hebben dat in de West-Vlaamse en in de met uitsterven bedreigde Frans-Vlaamse dialecten voorkomt, namelijk vooropplaatsing zonder inversie: het ontbreken van inversie wanneer de eerste zinsplaats ingenomen wordt door een ander zinsdeel dan het subject.
As a starting point, this paper offers a theoretical discussion of a number of widely used yet di... more As a starting point, this paper offers a theoretical discussion of a number of widely used yet diversely conceived concepts: (standard) language ideology, identity, agency, and indexicality. Using these concepts, we analyze a number of illustrative interview extracts from a corpus of sociolinguistic interviews with Flemish primary and secondary school teachers. Our goal is twofold. First, we discuss how Flemish teachers perceive (the importance of) Standard Dutch and other, nonstandard varieties of Dutch. Second, we show how these perceptions discursively shape teacher identities of authenticity, authority, and professionalism.
In this paper, the results are reported of a perception study conducted in Flanders, the Dutch-sp... more In this paper, the results are reported of a perception study conducted in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. 80 informants were subjected to an interview in which direct language-related questions were asked about intralingual variation in Flanders in general, and the omnipresent variety tussentaal (lit. in-between-language) in specific. These interviews were analysed by means of a qualitative discourse-based approach, both looking at the explicit metalinguistic discourse of the respondents and at their implicit metalinguistic awareness. The study shows that tussentaal is not denounced (as is the case by many linguists), but instead characterised as a quite neutral and even desirable variety. On the basis of this case-study, the approach used is evaluated, and considered valuable for explaining patterns of language use, in this case the omnipresence of tussentaal in Flanders.
In this paper we introduce a computationally enriched experimental tool designed to investigate l... more In this paper we introduce a computationally enriched experimental tool designed to investigate language ideology (change). In a free response experiment, 211 respondents returned three adjectives in reaction to the labels for five regional varieties, one ethnic variety and two supra-regional varieties of Belgian Dutch, as well as the standard accent of Netherlandic Dutch. Valence information (pertaining to the positive/ negative character of the responses) and big data-based distributional analysis (to detect semantic similarity between the responses) were used to cluster the response adjectives into 11 positive and 11 negative evaluative dimensions. Correspondence analysis was subsequently used to compute and visualize the associations between these evaluative dimensions and the investigated language labels, in order to generate "perceptual maps" of the Belgian language repertoire. Contrary to our expectations, these maps unveiled not only the dominant value system which drives standard usage, but also the competing ideology which frames the increasingly occurring non-standard forms. In addition, they revealed a much richer stratification than the "one variety good, all other varieties bad" dichotomy we had anticipated: while VRT-Dutch remains the superior (albeit increasingly virtual) standard for Belgian Dutch, the stigmatized colloquial variety Tussentaal is gradually being accepted as a practical lingua franca, and the Ghent-accent is boosted by modern prestige (dynamism) features. Even more crucially, separate perceptual maps for the older and younger respondents lay bare generational change: there is a growing conceptual proximity between VRT-Dutch and Tussentaal in the younger perceptions.
Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 42 (1): 55–94, 2020
The impact of language and gender in negative reviews: an experimental study on perceived credibi... more The impact of language and gender in negative reviews: an experimental study on perceived credibility and consumer behaviour This paper explores the impact of language and gender on the perceptions of a negative online review and its writer. We set up an experiment with a 2 (lan-guage errors vs. no errors) x 2 (Standard Dutch vs. tussentaal, lit. 'in-between-language') x 2 (female vs. male reviewer) x 2 (female vs. male respondents) between-subjects design. 298 participants were asked to rate one scenario with a negative review on text credibility, usefulness, emotion, source intelligence , consumer intention and WOM-intention. The results show that both gender and language have a significant impact on the perceptions of the respondents. The perceived text credibility, intelligence of the reviewer, usefulness of the review and consumer intention are significantly lower when the negative review contains language errors and/or tussentaal features and when the reviewer is female. The Standard Dutch scenario without mistakes of the male reviewer generates the highest scores.
6) Ghyselen, A., S. Delarue & C. Lybaert (2016). Studying standard language dynamics in Europe: Advances, issues & perspectives. Taal & Tongval 68(2), 75-91.
This introductory paper provides an outline of the recent research on processes of destandardizat... more This introductory paper provides an outline of the recent research on processes of destandardization and demotization in national standard languages across Europe, with a focus on the standard language dynamics in the Dutch language area. On the basis of a state-of-the-art-description, a number of remaining theoretical and methodological issues are identified, which the papers included in this thematic issue address from multiple perspectives.
4) Lybaert, C., E. van Hest & S. Van Cleemputte (2019). Over de tweestrijd tussen taalnorm en taalrealiteit: hoe NT2-leerkrachten uit een Gentse school worstelen met substandaardtalige niet-standaardtalige variatie in het NT2-onderwijs. Internationale Neerlandistiek 57(3), 205-224., 2019
Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, shows a strong presence of non-standard language va... more Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, shows a strong presence of non-standard language varieties, such as tussentaal (lit. ‘in-between language’) or regional dialects. However, Dutch as a second language (L2) education in Flanders mainly focuses on (Belgian) Standard Dutch, the official language variety in Flanders. Newcomers settling in Flanders seem to experience a large gap between the standard language advocated in policy and education and the multitude of non-standard language varieties they encounter in daily interactions. L2 teachers in Flanders are thus dealing with students who often struggle to communicate with L1 speakers of Dutch. In this empirical study, we address this issue by probing the opinions of L2 teachers: do they believe tussentaal and dialects form a communication threshold for their students? To what extent do they focus on non-standard language during their lessons, and what reservations or doubts do they possibly have about teaching non-standard language in the classroom? To answer these questions, we draw on fieldwork conducted in the East Flemish city of Ghent.
This paper explores V2 variation in West Flemish and French Flemish dialects of Dutch based on an... more This paper explores V2 variation in West Flemish and French Flemish dialects of Dutch based on an extensive corpus of authentic spoken data. After taking stock of the existing literature, we probe into the effect of region, prosodic integration, form and function of the topicalised constituent, form of the Subject and the number of constituents in the prefield of inverted and non-inverted patterns. As such, this study is the first to carry out regression analysis on the combined impact of these variables in the entire West Flemish and French Flemish region, with additional visualisation of effect sizes. The results show that the phenomenon itself is generally more widespread than originally anticipated, with unexpected higher concentrations in continental West Flemish and lower frequencies in western West Flemish. With the exception of 'number of constituents in the prefield', all other variables had a significant impact on word order: clausal topicalised elements, elements that have peripheral functions and elements that lack prosodic integration all favour non-inverted patterns. The form of the subject also impacted word order, but it is sometimes overruled by discursive effects.
(Nederlands) Tegenwoordig wordt het Nederlands algemeen beschouwd als een voorbeeld van een pluri... more (Nederlands) Tegenwoordig wordt het Nederlands algemeen beschouwd als een voorbeeld van een pluricentrische taal, met het Belgisch Nederlands, Nederlands Nederlands en Surinaams Nederlands als gelijkwaardige variëteiten. Dat was echter vroeger allerminst het geval: tot vrij recent werd Belgisch Nederlands beschouwd als het insignificante kleine broertje van het 'echte' Nederlands, zoals het in Nederland werd gesproken. In deze bijdrage bekijken we hoe de positie van het Belgisch Nederlands geëvolueerd is, en hoe daarmee ook de taalattitudes van Vlamingen ten opzichte van hun eigen (standaard) taalgebruik en dat van Nederlanders volop aan verandering onderhevig zijn. Abstract (English) Nowadays Dutch is generally considered to be an example of a pluricentric language, with Belgian Dutch, Dutch Dutch and Surinamese Dutch as equal varieties. Formerly, this has not been the case at all; until quite recently, Belgian Dutch was considered a rather insignificant annex of 'real' Dutch as spoken in the Netherlands. In this contribution we discuss the position and evolution of Belgian Dutch, and how the attitudes of Flemings are changing towards their own (standard) language and towards the Dutch spoken in the Netherlands.
Standard Dutch, the key to integration in Flanders? About the challenges posed by non-standard Du... more Standard Dutch, the key to integration in Flanders? About the challenges posed by non-standard Dutch to language learners in Flanders Flanders strongly encourages newcomers to take language courses to learn the official language, on the assumption that certified competence in Dutch will enhance integration. However, in Dutch L2-education the focus lies on Standard Dutch, and this contrasts to everyday spoken encounters in Flanders, where Standard Dutch is rarely used. Despite the perceived importance of learning the official language of the host society, the attested contrast between policy and language reality has up to now not been given much attention. In this publication we go into the results of a linguistic-ethnographic study conducted with language learners living in East-Flanders. We show that non-standard Dutch used by L1-speakers of Dutch sometimes causes comprehension difficulties in their interactions with the language learners. Based on interactional and interview data, we reflect on the question if L2-education should pay more attention to non-standard Dutch in class.
T. Colleman e.a. (red.): Woorden om te bewaren. Huldeboek voor Jacques Van Keymeulen. Gent: Skribis, p. 651-661., 2018
Over Standaardnederlands spreken, en de inspanning die dat vraagt Chloé Lybaert* 1. Inleiding Het... more Over Standaardnederlands spreken, en de inspanning die dat vraagt Chloé Lybaert* 1. Inleiding Het taalgebruik van jongeren leidt vaak tot publieke bezorgdheid: jongeren kun-nen niet meer spellen, ze gebruiken te veel Engelse woorden, en ze trekken zich te weinig aan van de normen van het Standaardnederlands. Dit zijn slechts enkele van de bezorgdheden die over het taalgebruik van jongeren wel eens worden geuit. Bij die laatste bezorgdheid-namelijk het idee dat jongeren zich te weinig aantrekken van het Standaardnederlands-zullen we in dit artikel stilstaan. Er wordt namelijk wel eens gevreesd dat het (gesproken) Standaardnederlands in gevaar is, en dat zou te maken hebben met de opmars van tussentaal (zie ook § 2). In die opmars spelen jongeren onmiskenbaar een belangrijke rol: voor veel jongeren is tussentaal immers gewoon hun thuistaal, de variëteit die ze spreken wanneer ze niet specifiek moeite doen om iets anders te spreken. Voor verdedigers van het Standaardnederlands hoeft dat in principe 1 niet problematisch te zijn: als die jongeren daarnaast ook Standaardnederlands beheersen en in verschillende situaties ook spreken, is de norm niet noodzakelijk in gevaar. Problematisch wordt het pas (1) wanneer er geen of weinig situaties zijn waarin die jongeren ook effectief nog de nood voelen om Standaardnederlands te spreken én (2) wanneer jongeren gewoon ook niet in staat zijn de variëteit te spreken, omdat ze ze niet (helemaal) beheersen. In dit arti-kel zullen we stilstaan bij de opvattingen van jongeren hierover. Voor we dat doen, gaan we in § 2 kort in op de standaardiseringsideologie in Vlaanderen.
The position of Standard Dutch and tussentaal in Flanders: the opinions of adolescents from Tielt... more The position of Standard Dutch and tussentaal in Flanders: the opinions of adolescents from Tielt In this paper, the results of a perceptions and attitudes study in the West-Flemish town Tielt are reported. Twenty teenagers were subjected to an interview, to gain insight in the way they evaluate intralingual language variation in Flanders and how they judge on the situational appropriateness of this variation. These interviews were analysed by means of a qualitative discourse-based approach. The results show that Standard Dutch is still the superior variety to these teenagers (even though they are not that competent in it), and it is pre-eminently appropriate for more formal situations, which points to the existence of a standard language ideology. At the same time, Standard Dutch is considered an ideal which is hardly ever achieved, and a variety which is unsuitable for everyday informal situations. Tussentaal (lit. ‘in-between language’), on the other hand, is the adolescents’ default language, and is appropriate for everyday situations.
Dat West-Vlaanderen de meest dialectvaste regio is in Vlaanderen, is algemeen bekend. De West-Vla... more Dat West-Vlaanderen de meest dialectvaste regio is in Vlaanderen, is algemeen bekend. De West-Vlaamse dialecten worden typisch met bepaalde dialectkenmerken geassocieerd: in Over taal had Anne-Sophie Ghyselen (2017) het bijvoorbeeld nog over de g/h-verwarring, zowat het eerste kenmerk waar taalkundige leken aan denken wanneer hen gevraagd wordt om West-Vlaams te typeren. In deze bijdrage willen we het echter over een ander opvallend kenmerk hebben dat in de West-Vlaamse en in de met uitsterven bedreigde Frans-Vlaamse dialecten voorkomt, namelijk vooropplaatsing zonder inversie: het ontbreken van inversie wanneer de eerste zinsplaats ingenomen wordt door een ander zinsdeel dan het subject.
As a starting point, this paper offers a theoretical discussion of a number of widely used yet di... more As a starting point, this paper offers a theoretical discussion of a number of widely used yet diversely conceived concepts: (standard) language ideology, identity, agency, and indexicality. Using these concepts, we analyze a number of illustrative interview extracts from a corpus of sociolinguistic interviews with Flemish primary and secondary school teachers. Our goal is twofold. First, we discuss how Flemish teachers perceive (the importance of) Standard Dutch and other, nonstandard varieties of Dutch. Second, we show how these perceptions discursively shape teacher identities of authenticity, authority, and professionalism.
In this paper, the results are reported of a perception study conducted in Flanders, the Dutch-sp... more In this paper, the results are reported of a perception study conducted in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. 80 informants were subjected to an interview in which direct language-related questions were asked about intralingual variation in Flanders in general, and the omnipresent variety tussentaal (lit. in-between-language) in specific. These interviews were analysed by means of a qualitative discourse-based approach, both looking at the explicit metalinguistic discourse of the respondents and at their implicit metalinguistic awareness. The study shows that tussentaal is not denounced (as is the case by many linguists), but instead characterised as a quite neutral and even desirable variety. On the basis of this case-study, the approach used is evaluated, and considered valuable for explaining patterns of language use, in this case the omnipresence of tussentaal in Flanders.
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Papers by Chloé Lybaert
In this paper, the results of a perceptions and attitudes study in the West-Flemish town Tielt are reported. Twenty teenagers were subjected to an interview, to gain insight in the way they evaluate intralingual language variation in Flanders and how they judge on the situational appropriateness of this variation. These interviews were analysed by means of a qualitative discourse-based approach. The results show that Standard Dutch is still the superior variety to these teenagers (even though they are not that competent in it), and it is pre-eminently appropriate for more formal situations, which points to the existence of a standard language ideology. At the same time, Standard Dutch is considered an ideal which is hardly ever achieved, and a variety which is unsuitable for everyday informal situations. Tussentaal (lit. ‘in-between language’), on the other hand, is the adolescents’ default language, and is appropriate for everyday situations.
In this paper, the results of a perceptions and attitudes study in the West-Flemish town Tielt are reported. Twenty teenagers were subjected to an interview, to gain insight in the way they evaluate intralingual language variation in Flanders and how they judge on the situational appropriateness of this variation. These interviews were analysed by means of a qualitative discourse-based approach. The results show that Standard Dutch is still the superior variety to these teenagers (even though they are not that competent in it), and it is pre-eminently appropriate for more formal situations, which points to the existence of a standard language ideology. At the same time, Standard Dutch is considered an ideal which is hardly ever achieved, and a variety which is unsuitable for everyday informal situations. Tussentaal (lit. ‘in-between language’), on the other hand, is the adolescents’ default language, and is appropriate for everyday situations.