Language Nesting, Superdiversity and African Diasporas in Regional Australia

Abstract

This paper tells previously untold stories about the dynamic cultures, linguistic repertoires and language practices of migrants and refugees that are continuously shaped and mediated by the convoluted histories, journeys and migration itineraries of these people. It brings to light the effect of proficiency in multiple languages on their speakers' affiliations, and their perceptions of belonging in local communities. The paper draws on the outcomes of a study with refugee background Africans (hereafter, African diasporas) in regional New South Wales (NSW) to propose the language nesting model that seeks to illustrate the complex linguistic and discursive practices of these people and how such resources are used to create and negotiate material and social spaces in everyday life. The paper concludes that the stories that were elicited—about the languages, cultures, identities, migration histories and just about everything else about the sampled African diasporas—both support and resist the theoretical suppositions of superdiversity in equal measure.

Keywords:

• Migrant Languages
• Language Nesting
• Superdiversity
• Social Networking
• African Diasporas
• Regional Australia

Notes

¹ ACALAN is an acronym for the African Academy of Languages, an arm of the Social Affairs Commission of the African Union (AU), that is charged with the responsibility of developing and providing expert advice on language policy matters for the AU.