Stylization and language ideologies in Pidgin comedic skits

Furukawa, Gavin

doi:10.1016/j.dcm.2017.06.006

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 19 publications

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“…Due to social movements in the 1960s and 1970s that focused on civil rights, ethnic identity, and cultural reclamation in connection to Hawaiian language and culture, Pidgin speakers began to display their pride in Pidgin. Since the 1980s, Pidgin has been featured in local literature, plays, comedy, the linguistic landscape, radio shows, and in public speeches by politicians (Furukawa, 2018; Higgins, 2015; Saft, 2019). There is evidence that the public is increasingly aware that Pidgin is not simply ‘broken English,’ and that Pidgin speakers have rights to use their language in a number of sociolinguistic domains, including those governed by the nation‐state, such as education (Higgins, Nettell, Furukawa, & Sakoda, 2012; Lockwood & Saft, 2016).…”

Section: Language Regimes Of Dominica and Hawai‘imentioning

confidence: 99%

Localizing the transnational call center industry: Training creole speakers in Dominica to serve Pidgin speakers in Hawai‘i

Higgins

Furukawa

2020

Journal of Sociolinguistics

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This study considers whether localized language training for call centers can fruitfully challenge the homogenizing principles of call center practices by examining a training program that aimed to familiarize offshore call center workers with Pidgin, the creole language that is widely spoken in Hawaiʻi. Call center agents in Dominica were familiarized with key aspects of Pidgin relevant to call center work, including the expression of empathy in response to customer complaints. The analysis focuses on how we drew awareness to the pragmatics of Pidgin empathy through Pidgin contextualization cues in scenarios we devised. We then examine how the call center agents displayed their awareness of these cues in role plays. The agents readily demonstrated their understandings in talk about pragmatic differences during our instruction, but the role play interactions revealed the limits of their ability to deploy similar locally appropriate pragmatics due to the homogenizing confines of call center business practices.

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