Language, the singer and the song : the sociolinguistics of folk performance /

The relationship between language and music has much in common - rhythm, structure, sound, metaphor. Exploring the phenomena of song and performance, this book presents a sociolinguistic model for analysing them. Based on ethnomusicologist John Blacking's contention that any song performed comm...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Watts, Richard J. (Author), Morrissey, Franz Andres (Author)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2019.
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Summary:The relationship between language and music has much in common - rhythm, structure, sound, metaphor. Exploring the phenomena of song and performance, this book presents a sociolinguistic model for analysing them. Based on ethnomusicologist John Blacking's contention that any song performed communally is a 'folk song' regardless of its generic origins, it argues that folk song to a far greater extent than other song genres displays 'communal' or 'inclusive' types of performance. The defining feature of folk song as a multi-modal instantiation of music and language is its participatory nature, making it ideal for sociolinguistic analysis. In this sense, a folk song is the product of specific types of developing social interaction whose major purpose is the construction of a temporally and locally based community. Through repeated instantiations, this can lead to disparate communities of practice, which, over time, develop sociocultural registers and a communal stance towards aspects of meaningful events in everyday lives that become typical of a discourse community. --
Physical Description:xvii, 372 pages : illustrations, music ; 24 cm
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (pages 332-346) and index.
ISBN:9781107112711
1107112710