‘I Heard Lots of Different Languages’: Layered Worlds of Separate and Flexible Bilingualism in Cardiff

Abstract

This chapter examines multilingual language in contemporary Cardiff using a linguistic ethnographic approach. The chapter systematically considers the way that those who visit the city might orient to the rich and varied linguistic environment they find there in different ways. In order to do this, it draws on the notions of separate and flexible bilingualism (Creese and Blackledge 2010) which have been applied, previously, to educational contexts and, predominantly to speech. By extending the reach of these concepts to communication beyond the school and to multimodal communicative environments, the chapter explores (i) how institutional norms about language choice can be oriented to by speakers who might step outside those norms and (ii) how institutional norms coexist with other expectations and language practices.

Mae’r bennod hon yn archwilio amlieithrwydd yn y Gaerdydd gyfoes drwy ddefnyddio dulliau ethnograffeg ieithyddol. Mae’r bennod yn ystyried sut y gallai’r sawl sy’n ymweld â’r Brifddinas gyfeiriadu at yr amgylchedd ieithyddol gyfoethog ac amrywiol mewn ffyrdd gwahanol. Er mwyn gwneud hyn, mae’n tynnu ar syniadau o ddwyieithrwydd ‘ar wahân’ a dwyieithrwydd ‘hyblyg’ (Creese and Blackledge 2010) sydd wedi cael eu defnyddio mewn ymchwil i gyd-destunau addysgol ac i leferydd. Drwy gymhwyso’r syniadau hyn at arferion cyfathrebol amlfodd, mae’r bennod yn ystyried (i) i ba raddau mae unigolion yn cydymffurfio â normau sefydliadol ynghylch dewis iaith a (ii) sut y mae normau sefydliadol yn cydfodoli â disgwyliadau ac arferion ieithyddol eraill.