English in Language Shift: The History, Structure and Sociolinguistics of South African Indian English - Softcover

Mesthrie, Rajend

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521026490 ISBN 13: 9780521026499

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2008

Synopsis

Rajend Mesthrie examines the rise of a new variety of English among Indian migrant workers indentured on the plantations of Natal in South Africa. Considering the historical background to, and linguistic consequences of, language shift in an immigrant context, he draws significant parallels between second language acquisition and the processes of pidginization and creolization. In particular, he analyses universals of second language acquisition and the role of transfer from the Indic and Dravidian substrate languages. English in Language Shift observes the acquisition of language in its social setting, often outside the classroom. Its linguistic focus is on the distinctive syntax of South African Indian English, with respect to word order and clause structures; and it contains descriptions of lexis, phonetics and morphology, in terms of social variation. South African Indian English is compared with other dialects within South Africa, with English in India, and with Englishes generally.

About this title

Review

'A fascinating and very well-documented account of the evolution and development of South African Indian English since the Indian indentured labourers were brought into South Africa, beginning in the 1860s.' Gillian Sankoff, University of Pennsylvania

'A most impressive piece of work.' J. M. Coetzee

Book Description

Rajend Mesthrie examines the rise of a new variety of English among Indian migrant workers indentured on the plantations of Natal in South Afirca.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521026490
• ISBN 13: 9780521026499
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 276