Arcadia Spain

Discussing Globalization in Barcelona with International Academics...

I had the chance to attend The Sociolinguistics of Globalization: (De)centring and (de)standardization conference, organized by the University of Hong Kong. The conference looked at many issues relating our rapid changing world; from the atomization of English (world Englishes/Asian Englishes), the friction between standard Chinese and Cantonese, the influence of hip hop in voicing the youth in inner city Paris and Barcelona, or the ideology associated to certain language uses, which is the panel where I presented.

The conference, magnificently organized, had the presence of many of the fathers of Sociolinguistics, such as Nikolas Coupland, Jan Blommaert, or Kathryn Woolard. I presented my research on the metaphors used by the Catalan president Artur Mas in the construction of the idea of nation (metaphors such as 'Catalonia is a ship/ a person with free will/ a train/ a building). I analyzed 49 speeches and the consequences that such narrative has in the political discourse and the consumption of such rhetoric. My presentation was very well received and got very positive feedback and a few offers to produce research in the area, in collaboration with other linguists.

The conference ended in the highest note possible as my beloved FCBarcelona won the Champions League final against Juventus in a great match that ended 3-1. I watched it with a great friend from Catalonia who lives in Hong Kong and with another linguist from Barcelona. We found a British pub downtown and it was clear how global of a brand FCBarcelona is, as the number of Barça shirts tripled that of Juventus. It was a great night of football and the perfect ending of a very engaging and productive conference!!