St. Lucian Kweyol in St. Croix: A study of language choice and attitudes

This socio- and ethnolinguistic research project examines language choice, language attitudes, ethnolinguistic identity, and bilingualism among diaspora speakers of Saint Lucian French-lexifier Creole (Kweyol ) on the Caribbean island of Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.;In Chapter 2, I describe in detail the socio-economic, political, historical, demographic, and geographic conditions that constituted the matrix of creolization from which St. Lucian Kweyol developed and evolved. I then apply the creolization models of Chaudenson (2001), Mufwene (2001), Dalphinis (1985), Alleyne (1996), and Faraclas et al. (2007) to the islands of St. Lucia and Barbados and comment on the resulting similarities and differences in linguistic output.;In Chapter 3, I lay out the theoretical framework for my sociolinguistic study on Kweyol in St. Croix, beginning with definitions of all terms used in my research questions, citing sources for both the theoretical framework and methodology of my study. Then, I review the work of twelve scholars who have published studies on Saint Lucian Kweyol, along with one relevant study on Haitian Kreyol.;This study has shown that even though Kweyol is central to the identity of St. Lucians in St. Croix, fewer parents are speaking the language to their children, many of whom, as a consequence, are no longer learning to speak the language. The results of this research will contribute to the understanding of the factors which play a role in the maintenance of the language and ethnolinguistic identity of a "minority" group whose language and culture are under threat due to globalization and the concomitant penetration of U.S. English.