WEEK 4 READING GUIDE TESL 5030 -1-

Week 4 Reading Guide

TESL 5030 Uzbekistan

Name: Normuminov Murod

(1) Upload a copy of your reading guide to Canvas (under assignments) before class and also
bring a copy (printed or digital) to class.
(2) Your professor will check to see if you have completed this reading guide at the beginning of
class. The completion of these reading guides before class will count for 10% of your final
grade.
(3) We will use these responses in our class discussion.

Required Readings
- Mihalic̆ek, V. & Wilson, C. (eds.). (2011). Language files: Materials for an introduction
to language and linguistics (11th ed.). Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press.
o 10.3 Factors Influencing Variation: Regional and Geographic Factors
o 10.4 Factors Influencing Variation: Social Factors
o 10.5 Language and Identity
- Lippi-Green, R. (2004). Language ideology and language prejudice. In Finegan, E., &
Rickford, J. R. (Eds). Language in the USA: Themes for the twenty-first century (289-
303). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Linton, A. (2009). Language politics and policy in the United States: Implications for the
immigration debate. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 199, 9-37.

Mihalic̆ek, V. & Wilson, C. (eds.). (2011). Language files: Materials for an introduction to
language and linguistics (11th ed.). Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press. [PDF on
Canvas]
- 10.3 Factors Influencing Variation: Regional and Geographic Factors
- 10.4 Factors Influencing Variation: Social Factors
- 10.5 Language and Identity

1) These chapters discuss various factors that may influence the linguistic patterns of people.
Choose two different learners (as different as possible) and discuss for each of them three
features that appear to influence their linguistic patterns. If you are not currently teaching, then
choose two people you know with very different linguistic patterns. You may want to give these
people aliases (fake names) for your analysis. Be certain to reference the Language Files in your
analyses.

1. Language can vary by geography, socioeconomic status, individual, and situation. Language

variants are the outcome of these actual changes. Variety is also thought to be influenced by

social circumstances, occupation, age, geography, and education. (V. Mihalicek & C. Wilson,
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2011). As an ESL instructor, I've never encountered language learners that differed in terms of

linguistic patterns; therefore, in my example, I'll attempt to define the elements that influence the

choice of language variation through the use of a fictional character named Hiro.

Hiro is a Japanese English student. Frequently, Hiro will state, “He don’t know” or “I didn't do

nothing!”. When Hiro's English language teacher corrects these errors, Hiro asserts that he is

aware that what he is saying is incorrect. However, Hiro claims that this is how his buddies

communicate. This example demonstrates how language variation is defined. This is the

language used by a speaker or writer to convey ideas. Language diversity occurs mostly because

no single way to express something exists in a language. However, the manner in which a

speaker or writer expresses ideas is determined by a variety of variables.

Context - When Hiro is among his English-speaking neighborhood mates, he uses terms such as

“cool, awesome, and buddy.” However, when Hiro addresses his teachers at school, he makes a

conscious effort to use acceptable language, such as “nice, sir, and madam.” When Hiro is

required to write, something similar occurs. When he sends a text message to a friend, he is

aware that he can use acronyms such as “lol.” In contrast, if Hiro writes an email to a teacher, he

is aware that the term “lol” is inappropriate in this situation.

Age of the speaker - As Hiro grows out of his adolescent years and grows into an adult, he

gradually abandons the previous modes of communication he possessed for both oral and written

discourse. For instance, as Hiro enters college, he becomes used to more formal ways of

communicating with others. When he welcomes people, he has lost his confidence in saying

“Hey... What's going on? Rather than that, he likes “Hello, good morning.”

Gender and Culture - Gender also has an effect on the language's expressions, word choice,

intonation, and tone. As a man, Hiro is quite comfortable speaking certain terms with his men
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friends. However, while addressing females, Hiro uses language that he would not use with his

male buddies. Hiro does this in part because his behavior with people of the opposing sex is

distinct from his behavior with people of the same sex.

Lippi-Green, R. (2004). Language ideology and language prejudice. In Finegan, E., &
Rickford, J. R. (Eds). Language in the USA: Themes for the twenty-first century (289-303).
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

2) Lippi-Green defines the concept of “standard language ideology” and provides examples in
the United States. How does this concept relate to Uzbekistan (or your own country if you are
not from Uzbekistan)? In other words, what determines the “standard language” in Uzbekistan?
And is this similar to or different from what Lippi-Green describes for the USA?

2. Standard language is an officially recognized dialect of the language. This type of language is

always artificially manipulated to some extent. Standard language refers to the way language is

used in official and formal contexts, such as newspapers and public speeches. The fundamental

concept of standard language is to codify a public, particularly written, language in such a way

that it is accessible to all speakers and can be utilized in education, journalism, and science.

A frequent strategy for establishing a standard language is to elevate one dialect to this position.

It is frequently the dialect of the dominant region (such as the capital city) or the way the upper

class uses language. However, in the case of Uzbekistan, creating a standard language required

combining numerous dialects (Tashkent, Fergana). There is an obvious distinction between

regional dialects and standard language in this scenario, because the standard is not spoken in

everyday life. People continue to speak whatever dialects they have acquired, not the

standardised forms (occasionally linguists like to refer to all forms of language as dialects, but I

believe that "dialect" is an inappropriate term for the codified forms in this situation).

It is culturally determined whether the standard language is viewed as an ideal mode of general

communication or only as a method of public communication. It is not uncommon to witness

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debates in Uzbek in which standard Uzbek and colloquial dialects are pitted against one another.

This may be more difficult in places where the standard language is a blend. In Finland, for

example, no one believes that people should speak standard Finnish; it is simply a technique of

communicating publicly, particularly in writing.

Linton, A. (2009). Language politics and policy in the United States: Implications for the
immigration debate. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 199, 9-37.

3) Pull out and describe two interesting laws or pieces of history from Linton’s article. When
you describe these, be certain to identify where they are in the article (the page number will
suffice) and explain how this may affect language instruction in the United States. Then think
about one or two interesting laws or pieces of history from your own country that have played a
role in language politics and policy.

3. One piece of history that drew my attention is bilingualism. Bilingualism was widespread in

the eighteenth century and remained so in the nineteenth, when a notion developed that

"American English both represented and defined the country's democratic and rational essence"

(Portes and Schauer 1996: 10). This meant far more to some famous philosophers than simply

having a single language for practical purposes. English developed a reputation as a critical

uniting factor, particularly adapted to define the nation and its residents (Fishman 1966).

Another crucial piece would be the fact that congress first considered declaring English the

nation’s official language. Congress explored making English the official language of the United

States for the first time in 1981, when Senator Samuel I. Hayakawa presented a constitutional

amendment on the subject. Official English legislation (sometimes referred to as "English only"

legislation) is the principal objective of the group US. English, which was created in 1983 by

Senator Hayakawa. US English today has 1.8 million members and has formed two distinct

organizational arms: a foundation that funds research and English learning opportunities for

immigrants, and a lobbying organization (U.S. English 2008).