The Dialogic Nation of Cape Verde: Slavery, Language, and Ideology

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The Dialogic Nation of Cape Verde: Slavery, Language, and Ideology is an ethnographic study of language use and ideology in Cape Verde, from its early settlement as a center for slave trade, to the postcolonial present. The study is methodologically rich and innovative in that it weaves together historical, linguistic, and ethnographic data from different eras with sketches of contemporary lifea homicide trial, a scholarly meeting, a competition for a new national flag, a heterodox Catholic mass, an analysis of love letters, a priests sermon, and a death in the neighborhood. In all these different contexts, Mrcia Rego focuses on the role of Kriolu (the Cape Verdean Creole) and its relation to Portuguesethat is, on the way people live through speaking. The Dialogic Nation of Cape Verde shows how, through the dialogic give-and-take of the two languages, Cape Verdeans wrestle with deep-seated colonial hierarchies, invent and rehearse new traditions, and articulate their identity as a sovereign, creole nation.

Reviews

Mrcia Rego delivers an impressive account of howlanguage defines, unites, and divides the Cape Verdean nation. She writes with warmth and perceptiveness, connecting thesubtleties of everyday language use to overarching issues of identity and power. -- Jrgen Carling, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

Author Bio

Mrcia Rego is an assistant professor of the practice and director for faculty development and assessment at Duke University.