Abstract

This article discusses the rationale for using language diaries as a method to evaluate language use and language choice in multilingual contexts, as well as the benefits and limitations of this approach vis-à-vis other research methods. This is illustrated using examples from two contexts: Flemish Sign Language/Dutch bilinguals in Flanders and Gaelic/English bilinguals in the Western Isles of Scotland. In both cases, the language diaries were part of a larger mixed-method study which aimed to evaluate language use and language choice in contexts in which the majority language is in almost all instances the unmarked choice. Language diaries provide a new perspective on individual language practices as they allow for an evaluation of contextualised examples of language use and give insight into the factors that drive language and modality choice, and language ideologies. Language diaries give participants ownership over the information shared with the researcher and provide access to a number of different domains. Despite being based on self-reported practices, their situated nature demonstrates how language use can change through personal circumstances. This in turn contributes to a greater understanding of the use of Flemish Sign Language and Gaelic in the wider sociolinguistic contexts in which these languages exist.

摘要

本文讨论了使用语言日记作为在多语言环境中评估语言使用和语言选择的方法的基本原理，以及这种方法相对于其他研究方法的优点和局限性。使用来自两个上下文的示例说明了这一点：佛兰德斯的佛兰德手语/荷兰语双语者和苏格兰西部群岛的盖尔语/英语双语者。在这两种情况下，语言日记都是一项更大的混合方法研究的一部分，该研究旨在评估在大多数情况下大多数语言都是无标记选择的情况下的语言使用和语言选择。语言日记提供了关于个人语言实践的新视角，因为它们允许评估语言使用的上下文示例，并深入了解推动语言和模态选择的因素，和语言意识形态。语言日记让参与者拥有与研究人员共享的信息的所有权，并提供对许多不同领域的访问。尽管基于自我报告的实践，但它们的情境性质表明语言使用可以如何随着个人情况而改变。这反过来又有助于更好地理解佛兰芒手语和盖尔语在这些语言存在的更广泛的社会语言环境中的使用。