Language Making of Creoles in multilingual postcolonial societies




Krämer Philipp, Mijts Eric, Bartens Angela

PublisherDe Gruyter

Berlin

2022

International Journal of the Sociology of Language

IJSL

2022

274

51

82

1613-3668

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1515/ijsl-2021-0018

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ijsl-2021-0018/html

https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/73964760



This article investigates Language Making processes in multilingual postcolonial societies where Creole languages are spoken. It raises the question whether or not Language Making in these settings differs from other contexts given the historical preconditions and social, economic, or political inequalities which persist after the colonial period. The paper discusses the potentials of Language Making to support or impede efforts of decolonization. With the help of examples from several Creole-speaking societies, it shows different approaches to conceptualizing Creole languages as linguistic entities with the creation or emergence of norms, different naming strategies or through language policy and planning. It examines the potential contribution of different agents of Language Making and illustrates cases in which Language Making is countered or languages are un-made. As a conclusion, the article shows that the concept of Language Making may need further expansion or nuancing in order to avoid a “Northern” or “Western” bias.


Last updated on 2025-27-03 at 21:58