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Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 1347

Part of Session 181: Folk linguistics and society (Other abstracts in this session)

The perception of Bavarian by its speakers - regional affiliation, linguistic identity and the conflict between dialect and standard

Authors: Loester, Barbara
Submitted by: Loester, Barbara (University of Winchester, United Kingdom)

Sociolinguists regard language as an essential marker and constituent of identity, both for individuals and groups. For dialect speakers their own, non-standard variety can be a source of pride; often it is also a source for ridicule or stigmatisation by others who do not use this variety. This paper will examine perceptions about their dialect as well as the standard variety as held by speakers from Bavaria (Germany).

The main focus lies in discovering the attitudes held by Bavarians about their own variety; how and why is it important for their own image of ‘Bavarian-ness’? Can you be Bavarian without being a speaker of the dialect? It appears that dialects in general are associated with a rural lifestyle as well as tradition; rural dialects are favoured over their urban counterparts, in Bavaria as much as in other parts of the world (e.g. Scotland; cf. Macafee 1994; McClure 2002). Do the speakers associate and identify themselves with this particular lifestyle and are comfortable portraying such an image?

Based on the interview data gathered, a rather fragmented picture emerges: we can see that speakers hold their own dialect in high esteem and regard it as a seminal aspect of their regional and linguistic identity, they are proud users of it and feel they can express themselves more precisely and appropriately. On the other hand, they are also painfully aware of the shortcomings associated with being a dialect speaker by outsiders, such as being less well educated, or being regarded as a tourist attraction in a living heritage museum. These opinions, to some extent, point back to research done in the 1970s and 1980s, analysing school problems encountered by dialect-speaking children (cf. Ammon 1978, Reitmajer 1975). The data also shows clearly that the ability to code-switch between the dialect and the standard is perceived as an essential skill, not only needed outside the Bavarian-speaking area but also in other parts of Germany; this in turn leads to resentment and the question ‘why is it always us who have to speak the standard when the others stick to their dialect and claim it’s the standard?’.

References:

Ammon, Ulrich (1978). Schulschwierigkeiten von Dialektsprechern. Empirische Untersuchungen sprachabhängiger Schulleistungen und des Schüler und Lehrerbewußtseins – mit sprachdidaktischen Hinweisen. Weinheim/Basel: Beltz.

Macafee, Caroline (1994). Traditional Dialect in the Modern World. A Glasgow Case Study. Frankfurt/Main: Peter Lang.

McClure, Derrick (2002). Doric. The Dialect of North-East Scotland. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Reitmajer, Valentin (1975). “Schlechte Chancen ohne Hochdeutsch. Zwischenergebnis einer dialektologisch-soziolinguistischen Untersuching im bairischen Sprachraum.“ Muttersprache 85: 310-324.