West Midlands English: Speech and Society
“Tings a gwan”: Linguistic
Superdiversity in Contemporary
Minority Ethnic Artistic Performances
Esther Asprey
Urszula Clark
Brian Dakin
Jon Herring
Ajmal Hussain
Anit Mahay
Samia Yasmin
Birmingham
Birmingham – UK’s Second City
Characterised by its multiculture – patterns of difference/diversity,
which lend themselves to particular impressions of minority ethnic
‘community’ and identity.
Super diversity - diversification in terms of national, ethnic, religious
and linguistic categories
globalisation – flows of culture, capital, people
changing communities, conditions
and contexts of diversity
New complexities of diversity – interplay of: origin, religion,
regional and local identity, cultural values and practices
Spiral Performance [video clip]
http://youtu.be/yAxCozMPsoE
Black popular culture/identity
It ain’t where you’re from, it’s where you’re at… (Gilroy
1990)
A recognition of limits to relationship with homelands (not
going back, second/third generations)
A working of identity in the current moment and space –
relating to ‘blackness’ (history, representation) while living in
the midst of global cultural flows (hip hop) – resulting in a
distinct local shape of ‘black’ identity
‘race’/ethnicity do not determine performers’ style – they
offer a strategic space from which to speak
Intermezzo culture (Back 1995)
physical demarker of space on the
edge of the Black Country region
invitation to share in the imagined
community it constructs through the
use of variation by those driving past
iconic representation of Black
Country identity, accessible to
anyone across the globe who has
access to the internet
subverts traditional, authoritative and
powerful notions of ‘correctness’
surrounding use of spelling
Key terms: indexicality and enregisterment
Indexicality
Speakers generally unaware of variables which mark
them as a member of a particular group
Once identified they come to be correlated with a
specific socio-demographic identity e.g. region or class,
by cultural outsiders such as linguists
First order indexicality: the frequency of regional variants
correlate with being from a particular place, Black Country or
Birmingham
Orders of Indexicality, continued
Second order indexicality: frequency of particular regional variants correlated
with being from Birmingham, Black Country, being working class etc.
Socially non-mobile people in dense, multiplex social networks don’t notice
these correlations, since ‘everyone speaks that way’
Specific feature becomes topic of overt social comment by outsiders.
May become divorced from forms that are actually used, thus may
eventually disappear
Third order indexicality: people, including those from the ‘inside’ such as
‘Brummies” become conscious of features marked out as regional, and that
places / varieties are essentially linked
Regional forms then used to mark sense of place identity;
are drawn from highly codified lists to perform local identity, often in comic,
ironic or semi-serious ways
orders of indexicality flexible / dynamic / do not presuppose stereotypes are
stigmatized
Key terms: indexicality and enregisterment
Enregisterment is thus a process ‘through which a linguistic
repertoire becomes differentiable [and] … socially recognised’
(Agha 2003:231).
Enregisterment describes the ways in which a set of linguistic
features that were firstly, once not noticed at all, secondly came
to be heard and used primarily as markers of socio-economic
class and thirdly, more recently, have come to be linked to place
and ‘enregistered’ as a specific variety, such as Pittsburghese,
the Black Country, South African English, Indian English and so
on.
Accommodation Theory
Accommodation theory
is the degree to which speakers adjust ways of interacting
with one another;
is based upon the twin concepts of convergence,
divergence and maintenance;
they do this by altering in some way linguistic features such
as pronunciation, intonation, morphosyntax, register and so
on, according to whom they are speaking;
takes account of the fact that communication processes are
complex, comprising of different components or features and
the various relationships between them
Outline of “Black Brum” linguistic data and
types of variation observed
Data:
Subset of the West Midlands Speech and Society data
Collected ethnographically by Dakin, Asprey, Hussain,
Mahay & Yasmin
5 hours 10mins of audio data, of 3 types:
Individual or group performance
2h 43m
Interview(s) with performers
1h 36m
Interview(s) with audience
0h 51m
Descriptive levels:
Phonological
Grammatical
Lexical
transcribed and coded
“non-standard” items
Background Information on performers
Deci4life (Auden Allen)
26 yrs old
“British man of colour”
Born in Solihull
Parents born in Jamaica
Andre ‘Soul’ Hesson
25 yrs old
Youth Worker
Born in Smethwick
Parents born in Jamaica
Examples of BBE phonological features
(in whole dataset)
Feature
Indexes
Example
(TH-stopping) BBE/
JamC
you know when you do karate you get like a
white belt or a black belt like one of them
things there (Deci4life, performance)
(TH-fronting)
WME/
EstuE
everything I say I do… I’m the realist
(Deci4life, performance)
(rhoticity)
JamC
and he said how one girl was so trusting
(Andre Soul, audience member)
(STRUT
vowel)
WME
no matter what colour you are
(Andre Soul, interview)
EstuE
if I’m in London I might just drag my words a
little bit
(Deci4life, interview)
all
so you’re thinking I either don’t eat this…
(NG-fronting)
Examples of BBE grammatical features
(in whole dataset)
Feature
Details
Example
lack of –s verb
agreement for 3sg
pres
(IMMA)
future intentional
Imma
(was_weren’t) non-standard past
form of BE
we/you they was
I/he/she/it weren’t
he bring_ things as well to his
performances
(Andre Soul, audience member)
so I’m (gonn)a ask the audience
(Andre Soul, performance)
it weren’t just me it was a few of us
(Andre Soul, performance)
imagine you was in the Matrix
(Andre Soul, performance)
(a_an)
I’m a artist
(Andre Soul, interview)
(bare_verb)
use of article a even
when following noun
begins with a vowel
Examples of BBE lexis (in whole dataset)
Item
Meaning
Notes
garms
clothes
Clippings of lexical items are ubiquitous in
BBE. Here we have an example of a backclip of ‘garments’
ramp
to fight
Typical of BBE
vexed
angry
JamC term from Old English, widely used in
BBE and wider youth vernacular
you get me
‘you understand?’
Very popular tag question in BBE
(Deci4Life, audience member)
wagwan
Popular JamC term, often used as greeting
Now prevalent in BBE and wider vernacular
homicide
‘what’s going on’ or
‘what’s happening’
murder
enit?
isn’t it?
Birmingham pronunciation of the tag
question
(Deci4LIfe audience member)
This Americanism is used in place of the
British usage
Discourse Analysis extract 1
Andre Soul, Performance
because the other part is some women can’t cook properly but then every man likes a good home meal
from a woman so if you go to a girl’s house and you’re like babes I’ve cooked for you in your head I
should have ordered Chinese you know I should have went KFC (laughter) but I’m just gonna chill and
appreciate this meal and have you ever wanted to I know that certain people is in the room so I’m not
gonna say sorry mum but have you ever wanted a girl so bad and she looks good but you go to the yard
and you’re like rah (laughter) you’re like rah you get me and then as you cook it yeah you’re cutting into
the meat because being at girl’s house you don’t just use your hands ’cause I’m a wild child mean I’m a
part animal chicken gets (unintelligible) chick- (laughter) me and chicken have a communication where
chicken could come on my plate and just say take me sacrifice like as if it’s religion but when you’re at a
girl’s house you can’t eat like that cause then she starts to get ideas and then tings a gwan you get me
(laughter) unless you’re you get me nah it’s true (unintelligible) and then you cut into it and you realise
she ain’t cooked it properly so you’re thinking I either don’t eat this and offend her and don’t get no
nookie (laughter) or eat this and clench my butt cheeks so my (unintelligible) go toilet (laughter) or I end
up doing somethin’ halfway through and (laughter) I get kicked out of the room you get me like big tings
can’t gwan (laughter)
Discourse Analysis extract 1 (phonology)
Andre Soul, Performance
because the other part is some women can’t cook properly but then every man likes a good home meal
from a woman so if you go to a girl’s house and you’re like babes I’ve cooked for you in your head I
should have ordered Chinese you know I should have went KFC (laughter) but I’m just gonna chill and
appreciate this meal and have you ever wanted to I know that certain people is in the room so I’m not
gonna say sorry mum but have you ever wanted a girl so bad and she looks good but you go to the yard
and you’re like rah (laughter) you’re like rah you get me and then as you cook it yeah you’re cutting into
the meat because being at girl’s house you don’t just use your hands ’cause I’m a wild child mean I’m a
part animal chicken gets (unintelligible) chick- (laughter) me and chicken have a communication where
chicken could come on my plate and just say take me sacrifice like as if it’s religion but when you’re at a
girl’s house you can’t eat like that cause then she starts to get ideas and then tings a gwan you get me
(laughter) unless you’re you get me nah it’s true (unintelligible) and then you cut into it and you realise
she ain’t cooked it properly so you’re thinking I either don’t eat this and offend her and don’t get no
nookie (laughter) or eat this and clench my butt cheeks so my (unintelligible) go toilet (laughter) or I end
up doing somethin’ halfway through and (laughter) I get kicked out of the room you get me like big tings
can’t gwan (laughter)
Discourse Analysis extract 2
Deci4Life, performance
D:
you know what you know what Eugina
S:
Eugima
D:
you’re ignorant you know
S:
what you chat about
D:
and arrogant
S:
and you a-drink out of the jug
D:
ignorant and arrogant and stuck in a time zone Rasta man
S:
what you chat about
D:
KST
D:
times are changing
S:
me never tell you something up to the time
D:
nah times are changing
(laughter)
D:
changing is (rearranging) (--) you see me (.) I’m evolving evolution is the revolution (-) you’re part of the
problem if you’re not part of the solution (1.4) you see people like you (-)
S:
yeah (.)
D:
people like you get left behind (--)
S:
(found with) backward you never heard that youth
D:
shut your mouth
S:
about shut up (man come up in ‘ere)
Discourse Analysis extract 2 (continued)
I’m a new and improved model and you (.) you’re just out of date design let me give you some
advice (--) you should resign don’t BITCH and whine because technology is improving and you ain’t
up to the time
S:
what you chat about you hear me you know (-) and you know something youth I have a laptop
D:
you don’t know about Facebook though (--)
(laughter)
D:
there’s unity in this new community (-) things ain’t what they used to be (-) it’s not that you’re blind (.)
it’s just you don’t choose to see (---) take a look (-) read a few pages out my Facebook (--) before you make
assumptions and judgements about my ways adjust your frequency to my way (.) take a step into My Space
(.) stop Twittering and get your head up out the SoundCloud (--) yo the revolution will be televised (--) ‘cause
we’ll record it on our phones and upload it to YouTube it’s major you’re miniscule (---)
(laughter)
D:
you’re analogue I’m digital (.) adapt because if you can’t connect you’ll never reach a pinnacle (.)
you’re cynical look man if you don’t like it (-) don’t fight it (-) because there’s nothin’ you can do (---) stay
stuck in the past and nothing will ever be new to you (.) and you will watch life go past you like a (zulu) (--)
yo you know what (1.6) you ain’t no different to me (---) you can’t challenge me (1.1) don’t take your issues
out on me yo (--) don’t get mad at me (1.3) unity in this lifetime (-) it’s all a fallacy (---) and all that truth you
stand for (1.6) it’s all a fantasy (1.2) theoretical doctrines ideologies it’s all a parody (--) (while) I’m stuck in
this reality (---) and if I don’t survive (-) if I don’t stay alive (--) then I’ll be just another fuckin’ fatality (---)
S:
what did I tell you about your tongue
D:
Discourse Analysis extract 3
Deci4life Interview
I’ve got a strong Brummie accent yes but it’s also very erm inter-like-national it’s more of a national accent
Yeah
because like if I’m in the way I’ve designed my accent is if I’m in London I might just drag my words a little
bit but it still will be very much from Brum
A:
Yeah yeah
D:
But the way that I say it like you know what I mean
A:
Exactly yeah yeah yeah
D:
I think that’s a Birmingham thing
B:
Yeah yeah
D:
Because I don’t really see when Londoners are in America or Jamaica they’re Londoners you get me
A:
Yeah they keep it yeah just straight in
(other speakers)
D:
But with my friends especially if I’m in America my accent starts starts to go American
A:
Yeah
D:
Like it starts to happen they can tell you’re from England but it will influence wherever I am if I’m in
Manchester it will influence it. I’ve been in America and a man walks to me like ‘what’s gwarning’ I’m like
that means like ‘what’s up dog’ like like ‘what’s up man’ ‘what’s crackin blood’ ‘what’s poppin’. It’s still
Brum but I’ve just dragged the words out just and he’s like ‘where you from? You from you from
England?’ And I’m like ‘yeah yeah yeah I’m from England still’ like so depending on who I’m talking to I
switch it.
D:
A:
D:
Discourse Analysis extract 3 (phonology)
Deci4life Interview
I’ve got a strong Brummie accent yes but it’s also very erm inter-like-national it’s more of a national accent
Yeah
because like if I’m in the way I’ve designed my accent is if I’m in London I might just drag my words a little
bit but it still will be very much from Brum
A:
Yeah yeah
D:
But the way that I say it like you know what I mean
A:
Exactly yeah yeah yeah
D:
I think that’s a Birmingham thing
B:
Yeah yeah
D:
Because I don’t really see when Londoners are in America or Jamaica they’re Londoners you get me
A:
Yeah they keep it yeah just straight in
(other speakers)
D:
But with my friends especially if I’m in America my accent starts starts to go American
A:
Yeah
D:
Like it starts to happen they can tell you’re from England but it will influence wherever I am if I’m in
Manchester it will influence it. I’ve been in America and a man walks to me like ‘what’s gwarning’ I’m like
that means like ‘what’s up dog’ like like ‘what’s up man’ ‘what’s crackin’ blood’ ‘what’s poppin’. It’s still
Brum but I’ve just dragged the words out just and he’s like ‘where you from? You from you from
England?’ And I’m like ‘yeah yeah yeah I’m from England still’ like so depending on who I’m talking to I
switch it.
D:
A:
D:
Discourse Analysis extract 4
Andre Audience Interview (Maria Hesson, Andre Soul’s mother)
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
he seems to change his accents every so often and he seems to sound like he's a a Yankee? like an American?
and another time he sounds like a Londoner and then northern a northerner
why's that?
and then a Brummie!
yeah yeah
he's all over the place
he's all over the place yeah yeah why do you think that is?
well at one stage his upbringing was literally in sort of the Brummie the Black Country and Smethwick area and his
nursing nursery was up that end and then over the years he actually um spent time in London and then he came
back over and we took some time in Jamaica with him and then also then we was back here in England but when
we came back to England we come more Edgbaston side and more to the um Birmingham Solihull side
so you know when you were saying a bit about in the auditions when they say oh yes but and they give him all
them reasons right has anyone ever said anything about his accent at all
never
no never
never all they always emphasise to him is indicating that sometimes they find that because he’s like a slight lisp
they could do with hoping that he could be a little bit more clearer in his definition of a certain word which he knows
this and he’s doing his best (unintelligible) to sort of make the changes but habit of a lifetime what do you do you’re
gonna need some serious elocution lessons (unintelligible) to get your tongue to you know unless you chop it off
you don’t wanna
Discourse Analysis extract 4 (phonology)
Andre Audience Interview (Maria Hesson, Andre Soul’s mother)
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
M:
Aj:
he seems to change his accents every so often and he seems to sound like he's a a Yankee? like an American?
and another time he sounds like a Londoner and then northern a northerner
why's that?
and then a Brummie!
yeah yeah
he's all over the place
he's all over the place yeah yeah why do you think that is?
well at one stage his upbringing was literally in sort of the Brummie the Black Country and Smethwick area and his
nursing nursery was up that end and then over the years he actually um spent time in London and then he came
back over and we took some time in Jamaica with him and then also then we was back here in England but when
we came back to England we come more Edgbaston side and more to the um Birmingham Solihull side
so you know when you were saying a bit about in the auditions when they say oh yes but and they give him all
them reasons right has anyone ever said anything about his accent at all
never
no never
never all they always emphasise to him is indicating that sometimes they find that because he’s like a slight lisp
they could do with hoping that he could be a little bit more clearer in his definition of a certain word which he knows
this and he’s doing his best (unintelligible) to sort of make the changes but habit of a lifetime what do you do you’re
gonna need some serious elocution lessons (unintelligible) to get your tongue to you know unless you chop it off
you don’t wanna
Discourse Analysis extract 5
Deci4life, Audience Interview
obviously his character as a character uh is universal so he he could be played by any uh you'd think you
could be anywhere in England 'cause there's you know there's youths like him or or youths like that
character all over England in every other borough
but there was particular things about his character that you could tell he was from Birmingham because
of there was certain like slang that he would use certain body postures certain the thing the uh the
certain uh the way that he would dress um his demeanour you know what I mean there's there's there's
yeah there's certain characteristics about particularly about Birmingham youth that only Birmingham
youth had that
like you know like um I remember one time I went to Manchester yeah and someone said to me when it
someone in Manchester said to me ‘you’re from Birmingham aren't you? I can tell by your character’ you
know what I mean and it is true like you can tell the distinctive traits that Londoners uh Brummies or
Manchesters or Liverpool whatever whatever borough you're from you pick up certain uh certain uh
what's the word I'm looking for (click-shakes fingers) can't think of the word right now yeah the way they
carry themselves their swagger yeah that’s what it is their swagger everyone has it you know even
though you even though he was a universal character the swagger you could tell he was from
Birmingham
Discourse Analysis extract 5 (phonology)
Deci4life, Audience Interview
obviously his character as a character uh is universal so he he could be played by any uh you'd think you
could be anywhere in England 'cause there's you know there's youths like him or or youths like that
character all over England in every other borough
but there was particular things about his character that you could tell he was from Birmingham because
of there was certain like slang that he would use certain body postures certain the thing the uh the
certain uh the way that he would dress um his demeanour you know what I mean there's there's there's
yeah there's certain characteristics about particularly about Birmingham youth that only Birmingham
youth had that
like you know like um I remember one time I went to Manchester yeah and someone said to me when it
someone in Manchester said to me ‘you’re from Birmingham aren't you? I can tell by your character’ you
know what I mean and it is true like you can tell the distinctive traits that Londoners uh Brummies or
Manchesters or Liverpool whatever whatever borough you're from you pick up certain uh certain uh
what's the word I'm looking for (click-shakes fingers) can't think of the word right now yeah the way they
carry themselves their swagger yeah that’s what it is their swagger everyone has it you know even
though you even though he was a universal character the swagger you could tell he was from
Birmingham
Conclusions
regional communities are not necessarily linguistically or
socially homogenous
a contemporary snapshot of sociolinguistic reality representing a
moment of temporal and spatial mobility
speakers have choices, and regionally based performers and
audiences may shift between positive and negative attitudes to
their home area and linguistic use situationally
Warren Weir Olympic 200m bronze medallist
[video clip]
http://youtu.be/Zbf6tEaEUY0