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The Myth of Structured Obsolescence

Hornsby, David (2006) The Myth of Structured Obsolescence. Journal of French Language Studies, 16 (02). pp. 125-146. ISSN 0959-2695. E-ISSN 1474-0079. (doi:10.1017/S0959269506002390) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:42776)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0959269506002390

Abstract

Using data from an obsolescent dialect situation in northern France, this paper questions the view that dedialectalization is a process of level-by-level attrition which leaves a linguistic residue in Regional French (the ‘Structured Obsolescence Hypothesis’). Comparison of dialect index scores for a number of variables reveals significant variation in rates of attrition within levels, with some phonological and morphological variants showing greater vitality than others, but no consistent relationship between levels as the model would predict. An alternative model is proposed, based on the relative learnability of different variants, and it is further argued that rejection of the Structured Obsolescence Hypothesis calls some other assumptions about Regional French into question, notably the view that it can be considered an intermediate variety between dialect and standard, and that it is necessarily ephemeral in nature.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1017/S0959269506002390
Subjects: P Language and Literature
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Arts and Humanities > School of Culture and Languages
Depositing User: Neshen Isaeva
Date Deposited: 29 Aug 2014 14:36 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:17 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/42776 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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