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Language Variation and Contact-Induced Change: Spanish across space and time
Edited by Jeremy King and Sandro Sessarego
[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 340] 2018
► pp. 111–125

Chapter 5
Borrowed Spanish discourse markers in narrative

A comparison across three generations of Tojol-ab’al (Mayan) speakers

This pilot study examines texts from three generations of speakers of Tojol-ab’al, a Mayan language that has been in long-term contact with Spanish, to determine the influence from Spanish on Tojol-ab’al narrative discourse. Discourse markers borrowed from Spanish and those indigenous to Tojol-ab’al are examined to determine discourse structure. Discourse markers borrowed from Spanish appear frequently even in the speech of the oldest, monolingual generation. Although the youngest generation uses many more words (nouns, verbs) borrowed from Spanish than do the earlier generations, narrative discourse structure, as indicated by the use of both borrowed and indigenous discourse markers, remains substantially the same through time.

Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The data
  • 3.Methods
  • 4.Findings
    • 4.1The eldest generation
    • 4.2 The middle generation
    • 4.3The younger generation
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusions
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 13 March 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.340.06bro
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