**** Research and Power

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UP: <[LINK]>

Using the model of power relations developed above <[LINK]> researchers enter into certain relations of power with their subjects. Beliefs enable authors to assign attributes to entities. Material conditions allow them to do so in print. The power relations of authorial beliefs are manifested in authorial assignment of the object of study to subject position. With this in mind, here are a few of the power relations in the domain of beliefs. No claims are made about the validity of the beliefs or on what evidence they are grounded--this is only a consideration of possible effects of the relation that power allows. All of the example below are framed on the template presented in <[LINK]>.

• - The (often implicit) belief that languages can act and exist independently of their producers and perceivers enables many creolists to assign utterances, communities, individuals, and the effects of time to the same category
• - The belief in this autonomous, nonparticipatory category, language, enables many to assign themselves an objective, neutral position outside of power relations.
• - PgDn for next page ..................... 1 of 4 text screens

............................................ /\PgUp/\ to return

• - Belief in discrete cultures allows creolists to assign individuals to aggregate identities
• - Belief in cultural position allows most creolists to assign regional or supra-regional (Africa, Europe) identities as superstrates and substrates
• - Labov says the social continuum enables people to vary their speech so as to aim it toward their situated audience
• - Belief in universal self-interest in material improvement enables Labov to assign his subjects' status positions to a continuum
• - The belief that classes are discrete entities enables Rickford to assign relations to them.
• - The belief in human-specific language capabilities enables Bickerton to assign creole language features to universal categories
• - PgDn for next page ..................... 2 of 4 text screens

............................................ /\PgUp/\ to return

• - The belief in cultural transfer enables "transfer-ists" to assign creole language features to genealogical sources
• - The belief in the cultural power of any group allows creolists to assign that group a discrete role in the transfer of languages and cultures in contact situations.
• - Belief in the mixing effects of cultural contact enables X to assign multiple origins to pidgin and creole languages
• - The belief that languages, individuals, speakers or communities are effable allows any creolist to assign any other a position as wrong.
• - Belief in the individual as the locus of language allows many creolists to assign discrete positions to pidgin and creole languages, respectively.
• - Belief in society as the locus of language allows many creolists to assign all lects in the community to a continuum
• - PgDn for next page ..................... 3 of 4 text screens

............................................ /\PgUp/\ to return

• - Belief in the corrosive effects of cultural imperialism enables X to assign .....
• - The belief in real, natural clusters enable TK & LP to...
• - The belief in objectivism and statistical tools enables tk & LP to assign the task of delimiting the parameters of speech communities to nature.