Ethnicity and Language

Language is intimately connected to ethnic identity. The varieties of English spoken by different ethnic communities reflect histories of migration, cultural contact, and identity negotiation. This lesson examines the linguistic features of ethnically marked varieties of English — including Multicultural London English, African American Vernacular English, and creoles — and explores the sociolinguistic processes of code-switching, crossing, and identity construction.

Key Definition: Ethnolect is a variety of a language associated with a particular ethnic group. Ethnolects emerge through language contact and are maintained as markers of group identity.

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Multicultural London English (MLE)

Multicultural London English (MLE) is a variety of English that has emerged in London since the late twentieth century, spoken predominantly by young people in ethnically diverse, urban areas. It draws on features from Caribbean creoles, South Asian languages, West African languages, and Cockney, but it is not simply a blend of these — it is a new, distinctive variety.

Key Research: Cheshire et al. (2011)