Language variation and the linguistic enactment of identity among Dominicans

The present study seeks to examine the linguistic dimensions of national an d immigrant Dominican societies, in particular, the linguistic attributes a nd attitudes that delimit Dominican speech communities and the extent to wh ich social identity may be mediated via these linguistic constructs The soc iolinguistic profile to be proffered is achieved by reference to language f orms and evaluations unveiled in interviews conducted in the Dominican Repu blic and New York. Taking a broad view of the findings, we conclude that ow ing to its phonological and morphosyntactic innovations, the Dominican dial ect may not be regarded as a linguistic variety to which overt prestige sho uld be ascribed, nevertheless, the dialect enjoys a considerable measure of covert prestige, as a symbol and enactment of national, group, and individ ual identity.