A Sociolinguistic Examination of the Dual 'Usted' in Medellín, Colombia: Evidence from Semi-Spontaneous Speech and Implicit Language Attitudes
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| Title: | A Sociolinguistic Examination of the Dual 'Usted' in Medellín, Colombia: Evidence from Semi-Spontaneous Speech and Implicit Language Attitudes |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Nofiya Denbaum-Restrepo, Falcon Restrepo-Ramos |
| Source: | Hispania. 2024 107(1):87-105. |
| Availability: | American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, Inc. 900 Ladd Road, Walled Lake, MI 48390. Tel: 248-960-2180; Fax: 248-960-9570; e-mail: AATSPoffice@aatsp.org; Web site: http://www.aatsp.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Spanish, Language Variation, Language Attitudes, Grammar, Language Usage, Contrastive Linguistics, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Educational Attainment, Oral Language, Task Analysis, Foreign Countries |
| Geographic Terms: | Colombia |
| DOI: | 10.1353/hpn.2024.a921463 |
| ISSN: | 0018-2133 2153-6414 |
| Abstract: | The system of second person singular forms of address (2PS) in Medellín, Colombia is tripartite consisting of "tú, vos," and "usted," while also including the existence of a dual "usted." The current study compares usage of the intimate "usted" versus the distant "usted" with data from an oral discourse completion task (DCT) while also investigating listeners' implicit language attitudes toward the usage of "usted" utilizing the matched guise technique. A sample of speakers from Medellín (N=72) stratified by age, sex, and education level completed an oral DCT, and a subset (N=38) also completed a matched guise task. For usage, it was found that intimate "usted" occurred 36.7% of the time with distant "usted" occurring 63.3% of the time. A multivariate mixed effects regression selected all fixed effects as significant. Specifically, intimate "usted" was favored by commands, statements, indirect commands, male interlocutors, same age interlocutors, male speakers, younger speakers, and speakers with high school education. These findings show that although the default "usted" usage is with distant interlocutors, the intimate "usted" is extremely vital, especially between men and with younger speakers. The current study also demonstrates the importance of comparing usage data and attitudinal data. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2024 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1416831 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The system of second person singular forms of address (2PS) in Medellín, Colombia is tripartite consisting of "tú, vos," and "usted," while also including the existence of a dual "usted." The current study compares usage of the intimate "usted" versus the distant "usted" with data from an oral discourse completion task (DCT) while also investigating listeners' implicit language attitudes toward the usage of "usted" utilizing the matched guise technique. A sample of speakers from Medellín (N=72) stratified by age, sex, and education level completed an oral DCT, and a subset (N=38) also completed a matched guise task. For usage, it was found that intimate "usted" occurred 36.7% of the time with distant "usted" occurring 63.3% of the time. A multivariate mixed effects regression selected all fixed effects as significant. Specifically, intimate "usted" was favored by commands, statements, indirect commands, male interlocutors, same age interlocutors, male speakers, younger speakers, and speakers with high school education. These findings show that although the default "usted" usage is with distant interlocutors, the intimate "usted" is extremely vital, especially between men and with younger speakers. The current study also demonstrates the importance of comparing usage data and attitudinal data. |
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| ISSN: | 0018-2133 2153-6414 |
| DOI: | 10.1353/hpn.2024.a921463 |
