Bemé: Difference between revisions

5 bytes added ,  11 May 2025
No edit summary
Line 42: Line 42:
Bemé incorporates a [[w:Post-creole continuum|creole continuum]], consisting of an '''acrolect''', often called '''''tak'''''(from "talk") or '''''bemetak''''' to distinguish it from the language as a whole, while '''basilectal''' levels of the continuum are called '''''kriyal'''''(from "[[w:Creole language|Creole]]").
Bemé incorporates a [[w:Post-creole continuum|creole continuum]], consisting of an '''acrolect''', often called '''''tak'''''(from "talk") or '''''bemetak''''' to distinguish it from the language as a whole, while '''basilectal''' levels of the continuum are called '''''kriyal'''''(from "[[w:Creole language|Creole]]").
===''Tak'' vs ''kriyal''===
===''Tak'' vs ''kriyal''===
Unlike other creole continua such as that of [[w:Jamaican Patois|Jamaican Patois]], Bemé speakers do not consider the continuum to have '''mesolectal''' levels, instead distinguishing between acrolectal ''tak'' and basilectal ''kriyal''. ''Tak'' is often described as the official government Bemé, used on street signs, government buildings and in most Bemé literature, while ''kriyal'' is often described as the vernacular forms of Bemé spoken outside of the contexts of ''Tak''. For example, the vernacular Bemé of young people can be considered ''kriyal''; but the use of Bemé by older, illiterate speakers may also be considered ''kriyal''.
Unlike other creole continua such as that of [[w:Jamaican Patois|Jamaican Patois]], Bemé speakers do not consider the continuum to have '''mesolectal''' levels, instead only distinguishing between acrolectal ''tak'' and basilectal ''kriyal''. ''Tak'' is often described as the official government Bemé, used on street signs, government buildings and in most Bemé literature, while ''kriyal'' is often described as the vernacular forms of Bemé spoken outside of the contexts of ''Tak''. For example, the vernacular Bemé of young people can be considered ''kriyal''; but the use of Bemé by older, illiterate speakers may also be considered ''kriyal''.


However, a key difference between older and younger speakers is the presence of [[w:Situational code-switching|code-switching]]; younger speakers are much more likely to be adept at code-switching between ''tak'' and ''kriyal'' depending on context, as opposed to older, traditionally less educated speakers who can't code-switch and as such whose speech may be permanently considered ''kriyal''. This factor has been considered one of many causes of [[w:Ageism|ageism]] in the Poccasin workforce, where older job applicants who exclusively speak in what is considered ''kriyal'' may be discriminated against compared to younger job applicants who are capable of speaking in more formal ''tak''.
However, a key difference between older and younger speakers is the presence of [[w:Situational code-switching|code-switching]]; younger speakers are much more likely to be adept at code-switching between ''tak'' and ''kriyal'' depending on context, as opposed to older, traditionally less educated speakers who can't code-switch and as such whose speech may be permanently considered ''kriyal''. This factor has been considered one of many causes of [[w:Ageism|ageism]] in the Poccasin workforce, where older job applicants who exclusively speak in what is considered ''kriyal'' may be discriminated against compared to younger job applicants who are capable of speaking in more formal ''tak''.
4,300

edits