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Viewing report
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"We Are the Explorers". Edition No. 1
VDM Publishing House, Nov 2008, Pages: 204
This qualitative study asks how Yucatec Maya-speaking
immigrants
from Mexico are using their three languages, Maya,
Spanish and
English, across a variety of social contexts and
neighborhoods in San
Francisco, California. Treating language as
communicative practice, the study looks at the
relative value and
meaning of these languages in public and private
spaces across the
city. Qualitative data were collected from
interviews, participant
observation, and case studies of four individuals.
These include
recorded multilingual interactions with shopkeepers,
roommates,
coworkers and clinic staff, which are explored using
Conversation
Analysis and frameworks from linguistic anthropology and
language socialization studies. Quantitative data on
patterns of language use were collected through a
language and
literacy survey of 170 adults, which was designed
and administered
by a team Maya-speakers and the author. These data
underscore
the
considerable linguistic resources of these
Yucatecans, many of
whom have
few years of formal schooling. The study challenges
language
educators to build on these resources, rather than on
limited academic foundations.
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