Keywords
Limonese English (LE)
Costa Rica
Inner Circle Variety
Social constructionism
Actitudes
inglés limonense
Costa Rica
variedad del círculo central
constructivismo social
How to Cite
Abstract
Limón, located in Costa Rica, Central America, presents an unusual linguistic situation that has been explained from different approaches. Studies on Limonese English are found within the paradigm of English Creoles, General Linguistics, and Anthropology and Sociology. Although not unique, Limón’s linguistic situation poses a challenge for research design and data collection because Limón’s linguistic situation is characterized by the presence of several languages that cohabit in the same area. This study investigates language attitudes towards two varieties of English spoken in Limón. It is framed within the World Englishes (WE) paradigm and uses a mixed-method approach to quantify quality. Data from quantitative and qualitative questionnaires from 109 participants with a variety of contact with English. Results show that Limonese English is moving from a forgotten language or a language with limited use to a status of a language whose use may benefit the community both culturally and economically.
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