At the intersection of language, gender, and religion

Self-reported linguistic ideologies and practices of Muslim women in Barcelona

Authors

  • Farah Ali DePauw University Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/sols.41159

Keywords:

linguistic ideologies, reported language use, language attitudes, multilingualism, gendered identity, Muslim identity, intersectional identities, migrants, Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain)

Abstract

Language use is notably connected to the construction and negotiation of gendered identity (Butler, 1993; Cameron, 1997; Norton, 2000; Menard-Warwick, 2009). However, the study of intersectional identities – such as gendered and religious identity – as it relates to linguistic behavior remains a relatively unexplored area of research. This study examines self-reported language use as a gendered practice among Muslim immigrant women in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain). Using data collected from interviews with 34 Muslim women, this study looks at self-reported gendered roles, as well as the linguistic and gendered ideologies that are reflected in informants’ beliefs about their own language use. Furthermore, this study provides evidence of informants expressing specific gender roles that stem from both the heritage and target language (Spanish/Catalan) communities, as reflected in informants’ tendencies to interact primarily with other women and vary their speech depending on the gender and/or heritage identity of their interlocutors.

Author Biography

  • Farah Ali, DePauw University

    Farah Ali is Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies at DePauw University, United States. Her research areas include sociolinguistics, as well as second and heritage language acquisition. Her work primarily focuses on using qualitative approaches to examine the relationship between language and identity in multilingual contexts. Her previous publications have appeared in a variety of journals, including Spanish in Context (2021), International Journal of Language and Law (2021), Cuadernos de Lingüística Hispánica (2020), and Journal of Foreign Language Education and Technology (2020). 

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Published

2021-12-20

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Ali, F. (2021). At the intersection of language, gender, and religion: Self-reported linguistic ideologies and practices of Muslim women in Barcelona. Sociolinguistic Studies, 15(2-4), 223–245. https://doi.org/10.1558/sols.41159