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Description:
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Navajo college student language ideology and practice is investigated through qualitative ethnographic methods . Students discuss the emotional , spiritual , and practical reasons they choose to speak navajo on campus . Participant observation and interviews are analyzed through grounded theory , which structured interview data around themes consisting of students' opinions and concerns with regard to speaking Navajo and English . Such themes include : participation in Navajo ceremonies , talking to elders , and maintaining a strong Navajo identity . Speaking practice was observed to determine the genres of communication in which studnets preferred speaking Navajo rather than English . These genres include joking and Navajo philosophy . Speaker familiarity emerged as one of the most important factors influencing students' language choice on campus . |