Modern Vernacular Garifuna Language: The Struggle for Survival in the 21st Century
Subject Area
Hispanic Linguistics
Abstract
After the violent series of events that occur to create one of the New World’s more interesting linguistic and cultural phenomena, the Garifuna still engage in an active and daily struggle to keep their language alive. In many situations when a language is dying, the young adults are the ones who have put aside their ancestral language. In the case of the Garifuna, it seems that 21st century social media has enabled them to reach out to Garifunas world-wide and demonstrate linguistic pride. Still, some Garifuna continue to believe that the pathway to social acceptance is by denying their heritage, since it is continues to be stigmatized in the locations with the most speakers. This presentation gives a linguistic snapshot of one Garifuna village in Livingston, Guatemala. Included are my findings with interviews of hundreds of Garifuna on their feelings towards their language, as well as interviews with non-Garifuna Guatemalans in the capital, and how they feel about the Garifuna and their language. Also discussed are the most current language planning developments and problems.
Brief Bio Note
Dr. Ocasio is an Assistant Professor of Spanish and TESOL at Valdosta State University, where she is also the Campus Director of Second Life (virtual environments). As part of her dissertation project in 2010, Dr. Ocasio lived in Guatemala to document the living linguistic practices of the Garifuna. The dissertation was the first detailed linguistic history of the Garifuna language.
Keywords
Garifuna, Language planning, Guatemala, Dying languages
Location
Room 218
Presentation Year
2015
Start Date
3-27-2015 9:00 AM
End Date
3-27-2015 10:15 AM
Embargo
5-23-2017
Recommended Citation
Ocasio, Michelle A., "Modern Vernacular Garifuna Language: The Struggle for Survival in the 21st Century" (2015). South East Coastal Conference on Languages & Literatures (SECCLL). 39.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/seccll/2015/2015/39
Modern Vernacular Garifuna Language: The Struggle for Survival in the 21st Century
Room 218
After the violent series of events that occur to create one of the New World’s more interesting linguistic and cultural phenomena, the Garifuna still engage in an active and daily struggle to keep their language alive. In many situations when a language is dying, the young adults are the ones who have put aside their ancestral language. In the case of the Garifuna, it seems that 21st century social media has enabled them to reach out to Garifunas world-wide and demonstrate linguistic pride. Still, some Garifuna continue to believe that the pathway to social acceptance is by denying their heritage, since it is continues to be stigmatized in the locations with the most speakers. This presentation gives a linguistic snapshot of one Garifuna village in Livingston, Guatemala. Included are my findings with interviews of hundreds of Garifuna on their feelings towards their language, as well as interviews with non-Garifuna Guatemalans in the capital, and how they feel about the Garifuna and their language. Also discussed are the most current language planning developments and problems.
