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The Contribution of Sociolinguistic Theory and Practice To the Study of Multilingualism

(With Special Reference To West Africa)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2024

Gerda Mansour
Gerda Mansour*
Affiliation:
University of Cairo
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Extract

Given the predominance of multilingualism in many countries there is great need for a new, interdisciplinary approach to the problem. Sociolinguistics—or the sociology of language—provides such an approach and can help to shed new light on a phenomenon which is often discussed in terms that tend to create more problems than they solve. In order to demonstrate how sociolinguistic theory and practice can contribute to the study of multilingualism this paper will attempt to outline briefly some of the basic premises of sociolinguistic theory which appear relevant to the understanding of the phenomenon of multilingualism and also to define multilingualism as a social behaviour in response to a contact situation.

Type
Research Article
Information
Diogenes , Volume 35 , Issue 137 , March 1987 , pp. 134 - 155
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie / International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP)

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