This bachelor's thesis aims to provide an overview of the emergence and development of Multicultural London English (MLE), highlight the role of Caribbean influences, and present the findings from a recent study that explores the awareness and understanding of these linguistic features among speakers.
In the latter part of the 20th century, a new multi-ethnic variety of English, known as Multicultural London English (MLE), emerged in London. This variety has been adopted by young speakers from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including monolingual English speakers. MLE is characterized by features heavily influenced by a multilingual environment, with significant contributions from Caribbean varieties. This thesis investigates the influence of Caribbean lexicon on MLE through a survey that collects qualitative, primary data. The findings are presented, analyzed, and discussed, followed by suggestions for further research and a conclusion.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 HISTORY OF BLACK SPEECH IN THE UK
1.2 EMERGENCE OF MLE
1.3 DEFINING MLE
1.4 CARIBBEAN FEATURES IN MLE
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
3. THE STUDY
3.1 RESEARCH QUESTION
3.2 METHODOLOGY
4. RESULTS
4.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF RESPONDENTS
4.2 ANALYSIS OF COLLECTED DATA
4.3 DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS
4.4 DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
5. CONCLUSION
Research Objective and Topics
This thesis examines the recognition, understanding, and awareness of Caribbean lexis and features within the sociolect known as Multicultural London English (MLE) by conducting a qualitative survey among various speaker groups.
- Historical development of Black speech in the UK and the evolution of MLE.
- Linguistic characteristics of MLE, specifically influences from Caribbean varieties.
- The impact of speaker variables such as connection to London, Caribbean heritage, and personal social network diversity on lexical recognition.
- Sociolinguistic perception of MLE as a youth language across different ethnic and racial boundaries.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 History of Black Speech in the UK
In order to understand the development and emergence of MLE, an in-depth understanding of the history of black speech in the UK is necessary.
After Word War II, new labour forces to help the improving economy of the 1950s in the UK were recruited from the Commonwealth. The most notable number of migrations can be traced back to the islands of the West Indies (Green, 2014, p. 63). Due to the fact that the migration was primarily male worker in the first phase, there were hardly any culture-cross mixings (Green, 2014, p. 63). It is unclear if there was an English variety spoken by Caribbean immigrants in the first phases of migration. The majority of the immigrants settled in London or Birmingham and the largest wave of immigration occurred between 1950 and 1960. (Kerswill & Sebba, 2011, p. 1)
Later on, popularity of reggae both in the black and the white community led to a few crossover words typically associated with black speech into everyday speech use, but the impact was minor (Green, 2014, p. 63).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Introduces the emergence of multiethnolects in Europe, defines MLE as a sociolect constructed from a feature pool of various varieties, and outlines the research objective concerning Caribbean influences.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW: Provides an overview of existing linguistic research on MLE, highlighting major data collection projects and the primary focus of previous studies on phonological aspects.
3. THE STUDY: Details the primary research question regarding the recognition of Caribbean lexis and describes the qualitative survey methodology used to gather data across different respondent variables.
4. RESULTS: Presents the statistical findings from the survey, analyzing the characteristics of respondents and the trends observed in how different groups identify lexical items.
5. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, concluding that connections to London play a significant role in identifying MLE features, while confirming that Caribbean elements are widely perceived as integrated parts of the MLE sociolect.
Keywords
Multicultural London English, MLE, Caribbean lexis, sociolect, linguistics, youth language, Jamaican Patois, ethnic diversity, personal network, language contact, sociolinguistics, migrant speech, London, qualitative research, survey analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
This thesis examines the role of Caribbean lexis and features in Multicultural London English (MLE) and explores how different social variables influence a speaker's ability to recognize and categorize these elements.
What are the central themes of the research?
The study focuses on the historical context of Black speech in the UK, the linguistic definition of MLE, and how social factors like link to London, Caribbean heritage, and personal network ethnicity impact linguistic awareness.
What is the primary research question?
The research investigates how various speaker variables influence a candidate’s ability to recognize, understand, and label Caribbean lexical features when presented in specific phrases and dialogues.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses a qualitative approach, utilizing a self-designed survey to collect primary data from 31 participants, which is then analyzed against specific demographic and social network variables.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main part of the work presents an analysis of lexical recognition, identifies trends based on the respondents' background, and discusses the implications of these results for the understanding of MLE as a distinct sociolect.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key concepts include Multicultural London English, Caribbean lexis, personal network diversity, sociolinguistics, youth language, and semantic shift in slang.
How does a link to London affect the results?
Respondents with a link to London provided more uniform and accurate answers, indicating that regular exposure to the sociolect significantly aids in the recognition of its specific vocabulary and features.
What role does the personal social network play?
The study found that greater diversity within a speaker’s personal network leads to a higher and more accurate awareness of multiple language varieties, including those influenced by Caribbean origins.
Was there a noticeable difference across generations?
Yes, the data suggested that as the link to the Caribbean progresses through generations, there is an increase in variation in lexical association patterns, reflecting broader exposure to other linguistic varieties.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2020, Impact of Caribbean Lexis in Multicultural London English (MLE). A Comprehensive Analysis, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1464357
