Abstract
This essay presents a case study of the variety of English spoken within Labrador and Newfoundland in Canada. Following a quantitative analysis of the data collected, I was able to monitor the frequencies of the use of the Inuit English variable, verbal –s, and develop the primary factor associated with influencing the local’s mode of speaking concerning sex (male or female). Results from the study indicate that women in Labrador and Newfoundland are more likely to use Standard English. It suggests that a particular gender overuses some words. Thus, women use “I loves it,” often contrary to men. This study contributes to the acknowledgment of deviation of minority language as a result of dominance from a majority language.
Introduction
Studies have attested to the relationship between language and gender, either affecting or influencing their coexistence. This essay is meant to determine the use of verbal –s in Nain-Inuit English in Newfoundland and Labrador. Briefly, the study shows the use of nonstandard English in grammar. Whether sex affects its ascendancy on speakers and how it influences the use. It also alludes to age as a factor influencing the use, e.g., young people tend to show an increase in verbal –s use, especially young girls who are being innovative. Like any other research done in this area, this study provides a clear insight into the expansion and prominence of the predominant languages over time. Scholars have argued that in a society with extensive use of nonstandard English, the dominating speakers are found to be men. Though the nonstandard speakers of the English language may be presumed as incompetent, they still have an excellent command of the language. On the other hand, women appear to be more standard in speech.
This exists transitively among the generational gap. Seemingly, in the event of dialectal or variant emergence, the dominant language carries the more significant weight of impact on the evolving language. Additionally, the study aims to confirm that the frame of non-standard is found in the withdrawals or rearrangements of the dialect, which is in close relation to the formality level. Although it has become difficult to establish a constant distinguishable feature between standard and nonstandard English due to the persistent language change (some nonstandard dialects slowly become standard). Some variants remain unarguably nonstandard; hence this is visible in the Nain- Inuit English, such as, ‘I loves it.’
Previous studies
The Nain Inuit English is a variety of English that has emerged in the northern Canadian community due to the graduate language shift from Inuktitut (Eskimo-Aleut) to English dominant. “Census data, survey work, interviews, and community observations all underline the dominance of English” in the community (Oushiro, 2019). Despite the intrigue within the conventional Inuttitut, dialect remains a point of discussion within the same community. The language’s development and form can be considered a result of influence from the indigenous language, Inuttitut. Consequently, among the three sociolinguistic variables—adjectival intensification, verbal -s, and interdental fricatives—morphosyntactic (verbal -s, e.g., I goes there) showcases the most evident use of nonstandard English varieties in Nain.
Studies show that the use of nonstandard is associated with saliency, a low educational status, and some even consider the users to be locals leading to a path of decline in use. However, verbal –s have registered as a central highlight of authentic Newfoundland English in urban zones. Similarly, some social groups have been associated with upholding the Inuit English to maintain their identities, such as the young generation who consider the language to have a form of playfulness. For a foreigner, “Using Inuit knowledge is challenging because western scientific paradigms largely shape knowledge documentation and mobilization methods, generating ontological tensions…” (Bulletin, 2022). This is one of the most apparent reasons the Standard English language tends to dominate minority languages.
Scholars have associated language use and style with gender as women are inclined to emotional capacities. This will tend to influence their language through verbal -s when interacting amongst themselves. At the same time, men are more discreet and objective during interactions that are productive to include the social parameters in the sphere of individual variation since they impact their speech or language, more so, when putting the language and style into practice. Gender has influenced language since its invention, and no matter how insignificant the effect may seem, it leaves a subject of discussion. Ergo for this study, the anticipation of men delivering more nonstandard forms is inevitable.
Data and Method
Through traditional sociolinguistic interviews, a diverse set of data was obtained. The interviews were conducted within the community in February 2010, and they lasted for approximately one hour. According to the interviewee’s preference, interviews were carried out in the Nain Inuit Community Government office or the participants’ homes—whether in pairs or individually. Both formats have proved helpful over the years in similar research. During data collection, verbal–s were classified according to social and linguistic factors to determine the relationship between Inuit English and its user.
There was a need to understand how the Newfoundlanders use the language and what influences the use. Sokolovskaya (2020) has argued that English in Newfoundland is more than a dialect of the Canadian variant; hence it can be called “the standard itself.” Thus, easy to analyze because the metrics and data source required enables the features of evaluation and answering questions. Therefore, a sample of twelve participants following age, ranging from 19-62(i.e., old<45-62>, middle <30-44> and young<19-30>) and sex—male or female. It is not easy to examine data in just a single time frame. Inevitably, the three-phase generational stratification is meant to cover the Nain Inuit language used appropriately and to avoid bias. Figure 1 shows a chart of the chosen participant representatives of the analysis. Note that the names used are not the exact names of the participants but pseudonyms used to protect their real identities.
The data was collected via auditory skill— looking at the dialect of the participants— during the conversations. Some representatives were chosen randomly without bias to do a simple analysis of the same from the data collected. Involving a quantitative analysis, only the nonstandard occurrences were counted. Figure 1 showcases the analysis in depth.
Results and Discussion
To conform to the analysis, men have been said to utilize the nonstandard verbal –s more often than women. Thus, the aspect of masculinity and femininity is brought to question. Do women speak a different language in comparison to men? This might not be the case, but generally, women and men have different communication styles. These styles are either socially acquired or emanate from societal cultures and norms. Research has shown that both sexes extensively use some words during speech. These are; [I love (s), and I go (es)]. Figure 1 illustrates how the different sexes manifest the use of certain words in their discourse analysis.
For example, Patrick uses ‘…goes’ 4 times out of the 9 times he uses a nonstandard phrase.
I goes out
I goes rodding sometimes
…I goes walking up the hill
…they goes to the arena mostly
Bridget uses the verb ‘go’ more than half of the time during her interview. The use of the nonstandard form is evident in her discourse analysis as it surpasses her standard speech. [I goes only once, I goes up fishing, …senior goes to the hall on Wednesdays, we goes, they goes… I goes… I goes… I goes…]. Although studies have proven that women tend to be more standard than men, in the case of using nonstandard English, they have shown interest in a specific word like ‘loves,’ considering the genders are equal in detailed mindfulness. Usually, women are said to lean toward adoring words since their language is based on feelings, experiences, and relationships. Although the word ‘love’ appeared in a couple of the participants, female participants used it considerably while men preferred different choices.
Jackie is reported to have used ‘loves’ twice as much as every other participant who made use of the same word. (In figure 1, Shirley (bolded) is a variant 0 since she maintained a standard language throughout the interview.)
Figure:1.2 Analyzation of data according to sex. Data is organized from the old to the young.
Conclusion
Concerning this study, sex is among the factors influencing linguistic behavior. The distinctive desires individuals in society have of men and women shape their perceptions. This leads to diverse sexual orientations making various phonetic choices. Verbal –s, a morphosyntactic sociolinguistic variable, has been presented in an elucidative approach. The male participants have had the most recurring occurrences hence justifying that verbal –s is greatly influenced by the Sex of Nain Inuit language speakers (Krauss et al., 2021). A possible challenge is that the participants’ educational or social class levels may not have been the same. This is observable with Shirley, who maintained a standard language. Further research can show the influence of mood or attitude in the usage of verbal –s, either in support of or opposing existing works by scholars. Additional studies could show the impact of sex instead of age (social factors).
References
Bulletin, M. E. S. (n.d.). Vol. 23 (2022): April: Middle European Scientific Bulletin. Vol. 23 (2022): Middle European Scientific Bulletin. Web.
Krauss, M. E. (2021). Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut. In The languages of native America (pp. 803-901). University of Texas Press.
Oushiro, L. (2019). Linguistic uniformity in the speech of Brazilian internal migrants in a dialect contact situation. In Proceedings of the 19th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, Melbourne, Australia 2019 (pp. 686-690).
Sokolovskaya, V. V. (2020). The uniqueness of Newfoundland’s regional variation of the Canadian national English variant. PROCEEDINGS of the 12th All-Russian Research and Methodological Conference with International Participation, Moscow, Institute of Foreign Languages, RUDN University, Web.