| Abstract [eng] |
The dissertation “Social Meanings of Mixed Speech: A Study of Four Work Environments in Vilnius“ is a qualitative study based on the spoken discourse analysis of adult mixed speech in the work environment. Mixed speech is a heterogeneous way of speaking that incorporates elements of other languages (English and Russian) into the Lithuanian language. The study aims to identify the social meanings, i.e. the associations, speakers’ stances, character traits, or group and individual identities, conveyed by mixed speech at work. It also seeks to reveal how the characteristics of different types of work environments determine the social meanings created by mixed speech in those environments. The study is structured as a series of case studies. Four work environments in Vilnius are studied, treating them as communities of practice. The study is based on audio recordings of natural speech, which are analysed using the methods of interactional sociolinguistics and linguistic ethnography. Based on the socio-pragmatic parameters of the linguistic situation, the analysis applies dichotomies specific to the work environment, allowing the identification of sub-genres characteristic of the work environment and thus getting closer to the social meanings. Three blocks of social meanings were identified in the study: group member or individual identity, as well as speaker characteristics related to professional and relational dimensions. The study reveals different social meanings of adult mixed speech at work in relation to English and Russian and highlights the complexity of the phenomenon of identity construction. |
