Language Maintenance and Shift

A comprehensive discussion of the key aspects of this important sub-field of language contact and multilingualism studies.

Anne Pauwels (Author)

9781107043695, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 18 August 2016

220 pages, 1 b/w illus. 6 tables
22.6 x 14.1 x 1.7 cm, 0.37 kg

'Anne Pauwels' work serves as a welcome addition to the fields of language contact and sociolinguistics. … This is the first of its kind, with all other treatises on LM and LS being included as a subdiscussion in some other general work (the author providing a sample list of such works in her introductory chapter). The main purpose of the book is to introduce the reader to the field and discuss the reasons why some linguistic minorities are able to maintain their language(s), while others shift quite rapidly to the dominant language. The author adeptly takes the reader through these topics and encourages further investigation along the way.' Tyler K. Anderson, The Linguist List (linguistlist.org)

What motivates some linguistic minorities to maintain their language? Why do others shift away from it rather quickly? Are there specific conditions - environmental or personal - influencing these dynamics? What can families and communities do to pass on their 'threatened' language to the next generation? These and related questions are investigated in detail in Language Maintenance and Shift. In this fascinating book, Anne Pauwels analyses the patterns of language use exhibited by individuals and groups living in multilingual societies, and explores their efforts to maintain their heritage or minority language. She explores the various methods used to analyse language maintenance, from linguistic demography to linguistic biography, and offers guidance on how to research the language patterns and practices of linguistic minorities around the world.

Introduction
Part I. History, Concepts, Contexts and Approaches: 1. Pioneers in the study of language maintenance and language shift
2. Concepts, contexts and approaches to the study of language maintenance and shift
Part II. Investigating Language Maintenance and Shift: Collecting and Analysing Data: 3. Linguistic demography: census surveys
4. Reporting language use and exploring language attitudes: questionnaires
5. Beyond surveys: interviews, participant observation and experiments
Part III. Identifying and Understanding Trends and Patterns in the Dynamics of Language Maintenance and Shift: 6. Trends and patterns in language maintenance and shift
7. Understanding the dynamics of language maintenance and shift
Part IV. Language Maintenance Efforts and Reversing Language Shift: 8. Efforts, agencies and institutions for language maintenance
9. Reversing language shift
Part V. Future Developments in the Study of Language Maintenance and Shift: 10. Opportunities and challenges for the future study of language maintenance and shift.

Subject Areas: Bilingualism & multilingualism [CFDM], Sociolinguistics [CFB], Linguistics [CF]