Language, Identity and Marginality in Indonesia: The Changing Nature of Ritual Speech on the Island of Sumba (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780521624954)

The rapid spread of Indonesian as the national language of Indonesia has diminished the significance of local languages. On the island of Sumba, this shift has displaced a once vibrant tradition of ritual poetic speech, but has also given rise to new and hybrid forms of poetic expression. This book analyzes language change in relation to political marginality, revealing that political coercion or cognitive process of "style reduction" may offer a partial explanation, but equally important is the role of linguistic ideologies.

Author: Joel C. Kuipers
ISBN-10: 0521624959
ISBN-13: 9780521624954
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 09/10/1998
Pages: 204
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.71lbs
Size: 9.12h x 6.12w x 0.59d