Speaking about languages inside or outside geographical or political borders, means to speak about problems of identity. In this sense it could be said that the topic chosen is a non-topic in itself. Rather, it represents a complex composition of many different themes intertwined into one another. Among factors like language, cultural habits, ethnic and group identity there is in fact a kind of an always precarious equilibrium made of always new and different frictions, accommodations and assessments. Aim of this article is not to discuss the general theme, on which much has already been written (see Cre- vatin F. 2009; Edwards J. 2009; Abdelal R. et al. 2009; Burke P.J. 2009 Joseph J.E. 2004; Brubaker R. 2006; Schmid C.L. 2001; Grey Thomason S. 2001; Gilbers D., Nerbonne J. & Schaeken J. eds. 2000; Fishman J.A. 1999 and of course Barth F. 1969 in bibliography). My contribution aims rather to share some personal considerations on the theme, starting from the analysis of two concrete historical case studies, which can be reasonably explained considering different elements im- plied in a cultural, linguistic and ethnic contact. Starting from the observation of what happened to the languages of the human groups involved in the sto- ries I will tell (Lorhon, Kulango, Djimini and Abron), I will try to give a justification to the expansion of the Kulango identity in Ivory Coast during the XVII and XVIII centuries.

When the other enters my house. Stories of languages within their borders and stories of languages beyond their borders

MICHELI, ILARIA
2012-01-01

Abstract

Speaking about languages inside or outside geographical or political borders, means to speak about problems of identity. In this sense it could be said that the topic chosen is a non-topic in itself. Rather, it represents a complex composition of many different themes intertwined into one another. Among factors like language, cultural habits, ethnic and group identity there is in fact a kind of an always precarious equilibrium made of always new and different frictions, accommodations and assessments. Aim of this article is not to discuss the general theme, on which much has already been written (see Cre- vatin F. 2009; Edwards J. 2009; Abdelal R. et al. 2009; Burke P.J. 2009 Joseph J.E. 2004; Brubaker R. 2006; Schmid C.L. 2001; Grey Thomason S. 2001; Gilbers D., Nerbonne J. & Schaeken J. eds. 2000; Fishman J.A. 1999 and of course Barth F. 1969 in bibliography). My contribution aims rather to share some personal considerations on the theme, starting from the analysis of two concrete historical case studies, which can be reasonably explained considering different elements im- plied in a cultural, linguistic and ethnic contact. Starting from the observation of what happened to the languages of the human groups involved in the sto- ries I will tell (Lorhon, Kulango, Djimini and Abron), I will try to give a justification to the expansion of the Kulango identity in Ivory Coast during the XVII and XVIII centuries.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11368/2765327
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