Diglossia

 

Diglossia

Diglossia can be defined as the pattern of code or variety choice. It has been used both in narrow sense and in much broader sense. It has three criteria (in narrow and original sense) :

1.      Two distinct varieties of the same language are used in the community, with one regarded as a high (H) variety and the other a low (L) variety.

2.      Each variety is used for quite distinct functions; H and L complement each other.

3.      No one uses the variety in everyday conversation.

 

H variety can be defined as a language that a nation used first and become like one of their culture. L variety can be defined as a language that used in a formal occasion. For example:  A Germany speaks Swiss German in her everyday  interactions with other Swiss German, but she use standard German in her office.

 Attitudes towards the two codes in diglossia situation are complicated. People are generally admire the H variety. This attitude is reinforced by the fact that H variety is the one which is described and fixed or standardize in grammar books and dictionaries. However, attitudes to the L variety are varied and often ambivalent. In many countries L variety is used only locally, people may rate the variety very low indeed.

Diglossia is a characteristic of speech communities rather than individuals. Individuals may be bilingual. Societies or communities are diglossic. In other words, diglossia describes societal or institutionalized bilingualism, where two varieties are required to cover all the community’s domains.

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