The role of extralinguistic factors in linguistic variation and contact-induced language change among Suriname's Coppename Kwinti and Ndyuka Maroons

Abstract

One of the difficulties in studying contact-induced language change is that from a strictly linguistic point of view contact leads to unpredictable outcomes. One possible explanation for this is that factors external to the linguistic systems in question play a role in the outcome of their interaction. Using Ethnolinguistic Identity Theory as a point of departure, I examine socio-cultural factors relevant to the ethnolinguistic vitality of Kwinti and Ndyuka, two closely related languages which are mainly in contact with the same languages, Surinamese Dutch and Sranan. A number of linguistic variables are then examined in corpora of language data gathered in 2010 and 2011. I argue not only that Kwinti is more susceptible to contact-induced influence, but that differing social and cultural factors are correlated with, and are probable contributing factors in the unique outcomes.

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