SIL International Publications

Kʼicheʼ: A Study in the Sociology of Language

Author(s):
Lewis, M. Paul
Description: 

The author presents a comprehensive look at language use and attitudes among the Kiche people of Guatemala. The book combines qualitative and quantitive analyses to test two hypotheses: (1) that K'iche' and Spanish are in a stable diglossic relationship and (2) that there is a significant relationship between language use and degree of acceptance of modern (i.e., nontraditional) identity factors in K'iche' communities.

The study examines seven K'iche' communities, using the field notes and observational data collected over a two-year period. The analysis of the qualitative data follows the framework of Ethnolinguistic Vitality Theory. The quantitive analysis is based on Fishman's notion of domains of use (who speaks what to whom and when).

This book will appeal to sociolinguists interested in factors affecting language maintenance and shift, Mayanists who are involved in current efforts to revitalize and maintain the languages of Guatemala, and language planners and policy makers who desire to trace the outworkings of language policy decisions in an actual language-use context.

About the Author

M. Paul Lewis earned a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Georgetown University, Washington D.C. He began fieldwork in Guatemala in 1975 and has worked among the K'iche', Uspanteko, and Ixil peoples in Guatemala. He was the International Sociolinguistics Coordinator, 1996–2002 and is currently an International Sociolinguistics Consultant.

Table of Contents: 

List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Maps
Acknowledgments

  1. Introduction
  2. 1.1 Preconquest Mayan society
    1.2-1.5 Postconquest Guatemala
    1.2 The colony
    1.3 The period of independence and the liberal revolution
    1.4 The period of indigenismo
    1.5 Post-indigenismo

  3. Maintenance and Shift of Language and Identity in K’iche’ Communities
  4. 2.1-2.3 Bilingualism, language contact, and language choice
    2.1 Bilingualism and language shift
    2.2 The analysis of language choice
    2.3 Bilingualism and diglossia

    2.4-2.8 Ethnocultural identity and language
    2.4 Ethnicity and language
    2.5 The language-in-culture nexus
    2.6 Language and culture continuity
    2.7 Causes of language and culture shift
    2.8 Summary

    2.9-2.12 Ethnolinguistic vitality theory
    2.9 Objective ethnolinguistic vitality
    2.10 Subjective vitality factors
    2.11 Multiple identities and boundary maintenance
    2.12 Synthesis

    2.13-2.15 The description of Guatemalan communities
    2.13 Distinctive community types
    2.14 Ethnic identity maintenance
    2.15 Summary

  5. Research Project Design and Methodology
  6. 3.1 General description
    3.2 Selection of the communities
    3.3 Language use data
    3.4 Data collection
    3.5 Unit of observation
    3.6 Language use observation data forms
    3.7 Sampling method
    3.8 Sample size
    3.9 Data recording arid analysis methods
    3.10 Community resource data
    3.11 Statistical analysis procedures

  7. Community Resource Profile Data Analysis--the Towns
  8. 4.1 Analysis of community resource profile data

    4.2-4.5 Chichicastenango
    4.2 Demographic factors
    4.3 Institutional support factors
    4.4 Status factors
    4.5 Subjective factors

    4.6-4.9 Cunén
    4.6 Demographic factors
    4.7 Institutional support factors
    4.8 Status factors
    4.9 Subjective vitality factors

    4.10-4.13 Joyabaj
    4.10 Demographic factors
    4.11 Institutional support factors
    4.12 Status factors
    4.13 Subjective factors

    4.14-4.17 Sacapulas
    4.14 Demographic factors
    4.15 Institutional support factors
    4.16 Status factors
    4.17 Subjective factors

    4.18-4.21 San Andrés Sajcabajá
    4.18 Demographic factors
    4.19 Institutional support factors
    4.20 Status factors
    4.21 Subjective factors

  9. Community Resource Profile Data Analysis--the Cities
  10. 5.1-5.5 Santa Cruz del Quiché
    5.1 Demographic factors
    5.2 Institutional support factors
    5.3 Status factors
    5.4 Subjective factors
    5.5 Two rural communities

    5.6-5.9 Totonicapán
    5.6 Demographic factors
    5.7 Institutional support factors
    5.8 Status factors
    5.9 Subjective factors

  11. Language Use in the Seven Communities
  12. 6.1 Language use in Chichicastenango
    6.2 Language use in Cunén
    6.3 Language use in Joyabaj
    6.4 Language use in Sacapulas
    6.5 Language use in San Andrés Sajcabajá
    6.6 Language use in Santa Cruz del Quiché
    6.7 Language use in Totonicapán

  13. Integration of the Two Data Sets
  14. 7.1-7.4 Ethnolinguistic identity measures
    7.1 Demographic factors
    7.2 Institutional support factors
    7.3 Status factors
    7.4 Subjective vitality factors
    7.5 Language maintenance indices
    7.6 Summary
    7.7 Conclusions

Appendix: Community Resource Profile Questions
Demographics and boundary maintenance-related questions
Status related questions
Subjective vitality related questions

References

Issue Date: 
2001
Extent: 
xiv, 261 pages
ISBN 13: 
978-1556711206
Subject: 
Sociolinguistics
ISBN 10: 
1556711204
Size: 
6 × 9 × 0.58 in
Weight: 
1 lb
Country: 
Guatemala
Content Language: