Language shift, maintenance and revitalization

Question 1

What is Language Shift?

Answer 1

when the language in wider society displaces the minority language gradually overtime
leads to loss of cultural identity and traditional knowledge

Question 2

What are the contexts where language shift occurs?

Answer 2

migrant minorities: wider society uses dominant language
Non-migrant communities: political, economic and social changes that overtake minority group’s language
Migrant majorities: colonialism,

Question 3

What is linguicide?

Answer 3

When one group imposes language along with its institutions and results in the death of another language

Question 4

What is maintenance of multilingualism?

Answer 4

The efforts to preserve the use of the minority and majority language. With special effort applied to the minority language

Question 5

What is language loss

Answer 5

inability to use the language resulting in:
- simplified grammar and gaps in vocab
- use only in ceremonies, songs and prayers

Question 6

What factors contribute to language shift?

Answer 6

economic and social factors: loss of value in L1, L2 associated with mobility and success
demographic factors: intermarriage accelerates language shift, young upwardly mobile speakers shift fastest

Question 7

What factors contribute to language maintenance?

Answer 7

Economic and social factors: migrant women keep L1 alive longest
attitudinal factors: if L1 has ethnic identity its maintained loner, if language has international status its less likely to be lost
Demographic factors: maintained easier in rural areas
Having an established community (social connections, cultural activities, etc)
Frequency of contact with the homeland
Arrival of new migrants into the community
Marrying within the same linguistic group
Using minority language in after-school programs and places of worship
bottom up and top down initiatives

Question 8

What are bottom up initiatives?

Answer 8

inside community
community language classes, festivals, cultural events, etc

Question 9

What are top-down intitiatives?

Answer 9

outside community
institutional support - language policies, language programs

Question 10

What are UNESCO’s factors for determining language vitality?

Answer 10

1. Intergenerational language transmission
2. Absolute number of speakers
   - No remaining native speakers = dead
3. Language use within existing contexts and domains
4. Availability of materials for language education and literacy
5. Government and institutional language policies
6. Community attitudes toward their language
7. Amount and quality of documentation

Question 11

What are some case studies of endangered languages?

Answer 11

presentations