Global reggae and the appropriation of Jamaican Creole

Gerfer, Anika

Zusammenfassung

The present study investigates the sociolinguistics of globalisation and performance, focusing on the linguistic appropriation of Jamaican Creole (JC) by white reggae artists in reggae performances and interviews. By adopting a multi-faceted approach including a phonetic, morpho-syntactic, and lexical analysis of the singing and speaking style of seven reggae artists and bands from the USA, Bermuda, and Europe, this study explores the similarities and differences between on- and offstage uses of Jamaican Creole, and whether the singers’ access and exposure to this variety as well as the topic of the song has an effect on their language behaviour. The findings provide evidence for the claim that Jamaican Creole has developed into a prestigious linguistic resource in non-Jamaican artists’ performances of a global reggae persona, both on- and offstage.