Prisoners as a minority minority by force and communion

This paper aims to show how prisoners conform to minority community patterns and dialect which are minorized by external forces, and which simultaneously act as symbols of identity and rebellion. The sociodialect also constitutes a search for recognition, as well as an instrument of power against authority. As prisoners are restricted to a shared geographical setting, they construct distinct sociolinguistic relationships in order to not only be able to live in the community, but also to react against certain imposed social rules. Furthermore, their dialect-lunfardo-transcends the concept of identity as it attempts to replace the official language.