Assessing Ethnolinguistic Vitality

Assessing Ethnolinguistic Vitality PDF Author: Gloria Elaine Kindell
Publisher: Sil International, Global Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 228

Book Description
A collection of selected papers presented at SIL International's Third International Language Assessment Conference in England (1997). Presents papers by leading scholars and SIL International language survey specialists that reflect various issues related to ethnolinguistic vitality and its assessment and present a variety of approaches to this study. Includes the sociology of language, anthropological grid/group model, social network theory, and motivations for ethnolinguistic vitality maintenance, power, and solidarity orientations. Is of interest to sociolinguists, sociologists, anthropological linguists, and those in language planning and language development. Is a source of information about a wide range of language situations, and an encouragement to those working among speakers of less commonly known languages.

Revisiting Ethnolinguistic Vitality

Revisiting Ethnolinguistic Vitality PDF Author: Natasha E. Ravyse
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000516474
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 207

Book Description
This book examines traditional theories of linguistic vitality in the context of subcultural languages. It argues that traditional methods of investigating linguistic vitality are, according to existing literature, not as reliable as they appear and therefore limited in their testability. The author looks at themes such as the relationships between language and culture, ethnicity within the scope of sociolinguistics, and the notion of ideolinguistic vitality where traditional views intersect with more contextually current ones. She also highlights the importance of studying the nature and principles of subcultural languages which help better inform our understanding of the superdiverse linguistic world. The volume makes a major contribution to modern sociolinguistics by offering a detailed account of developing a unique measuring instrument to gauge the vitality of subcultural languages, which is applicable to more than just subcultural linguistics. An indispensable text in the study of ethnolinguistic vitality, the book will be of interest to students and researchers of sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, identity theory, philology, language and literature, cultural studies, and postcolonial studies.

Sustaining Language Use

Sustaining Language Use PDF Author: M. Paul Lewis
Publisher: SIL International
ISBN: 1556714203
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 222

Book Description
How does a language community sustain their language in the face of ever-increasing forces of language shift? This volume, both a textbook and a handbook, is the result of ten years of reflection by the authors in light of SIL International’s 80 years of fieldwork in local language communities. Using the Sustainable Use Model detailed here, readers learn how to advise maintaining use of their language at a sustainable level. This could include, not only the level of active literacy, but also levels of orality and identity. The book is aimed at “on the ground” workers involved with a community, to address issues arising from language and culture contact. M. Paul Lewis (Ph.D., sociolinguistics, Georgetown University) did fieldwork in Guatemala, was general editor of the Ethnologue®, and is a Sociolinguistics Consultant with SIL. His research interests are language endangerment, language policy and planning, and language documentation. He has consulted and trained on six continents. Gary F. Simons (Ph.D., linguistics, Cornell University) is Chief Research Officer for SIL and Executive Editor of the Ethnologue®. He was involved in language development in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, co-founder of the Open Language Archives Community (OLAC), and co-developer of the ISO 639-3 identifiers for the world’s languages. "In this clearly written monograph, Lewis and Simons lay the groundwork for those who [work] with members of local language communities, to help them implement diverse activities that most effectively lead to a sustainable level of language use. They build appropriately upon the groundbreaking work that was carried out several decades ago by sociolinguists such as Charles Ferguson, Robert Cooper, and Joshua Fishman." - Adapted from the Foreword by G. Richard Tucker

Understanding Language Choices

Understanding Language Choices PDF Author: Ken Decker
Publisher: Eisenbrauns
ISBN: 9781556713316
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 265

Book Description
Understanding Language Choices is an introductory textbook for anyone studying the motivations behind language use choices. It provides an introduction into the numerous factors, both internal and external, influencing such choices in a speech community: language attitudes, language learning, identity, the mobility of the community, and much more. The book also provides a foundation for the study of linguistic variation within a speech community, as well as an introduction to methods of data collection when studying the outcomes of language use choices. An important aspect of this book is its emphasis on a participatory approach to language choice research that empowers the speech community. The final chapter discusses lifestyle concerns that researchers may encounter when conducting field studies in developing nations. Written with the beginner in mind, this textbook includes numerous examples and case studies from around the world to illustrate the realities of sociolinguistic field research. A companion website keeps users of the book up to date with descriptions of the most current research methodologies. Ken Decker received his M.A. in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1992. He brings to this book over 25 years' experience in field research in the sociology of language and language development. He has conducted sociolinguistic surveys in more than 35 languages in Asia and the Americas and served as consultant on surveys in Africa, Australia, Europe, and the Pacific. Ken is particularly interested in the role of language research in strategic language development. John Grummitt received his M.A. in Applied Linguistics from the University of Leicester in 2002, drawing on his decade's experience as an academic writing tutor and trainer of teachers in ESL programs in Japan and South Korea. His more recent survey work in Papua New Guinea has given him a perspective supplementary to Decker's on sociolinguistic fieldwork and language development.

Contested Languages

Contested Languages PDF Author: Marco Tamburelli
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company
ISBN: 9027260389
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 279

Book Description
This is the first volume entirely dedicated to contested languages. While generally listed in international language atlases, contested languages usually fall through the cracks of research: excluded from the literature on minority languages and treated as mere ensembles of geographically defined varieties by traditional dialectology. This volume investigates the nature of contested languages, the role language ideologies play in the perception of these languages, the contribution of academic discourse to the formation and perpetuation of language contestedness, and the damage contestedness causes to linguistic communities and ultimately to linguistic diversity. Various situations and degrees of language contestedness are presented and analysed, along with theoretical considerations, exploring potential roads to recognition and issues in language planning that arise from language contestedness. Addressing the “language vs dialect” question head on, the volume opens up new perspectives that are relevant to all students and researchers interested in the maintenance of linguistic diversity.

Towards Openly Multilingual Policies and Practices

Towards Openly Multilingual Policies and Practices PDF Author: Johanna Laakso
Publisher: Multilingual Matters
ISBN: 1783094974
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 275

Book Description
This book investigates the maintenance of multilingualism and minority languages in 12 different minority communities across Europe, all of which are underrepresented in international minority language studies. The book presents a number of case studies covering a broad range of highly diverse minorities and languages with different historical and socio-political backgrounds. Despite current legislation and institutional and educational support, the authors surmise there is no guarantee for the maintenance of minority languages, suggesting changes in attitudes and language ideologies are the key to promoting true multilingualism. The book also introduces a new tool, the European Language Vitality Barometer, for assessing the maintenance of minority languages on the basis of survey data. The book is based on the European Language Diversity for All (ELDIA) research project which was funded by the European Commission (7th framework programme, 2010–2013).

The Handbook of Bilingualism

The Handbook of Bilingualism PDF Author: Tej K. Bhatia
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470704381
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 905

Book Description
The Handbook of Bilingualism provides state-of-the-art treatments of the central issues that arise in consideration of the phenomena of bilingualism ranging from the representation of the two languages in the bilingual individual's brain to the various forms of bilingual education, including the status of bilingualism in each area of the world. Provides state-of-the-art coverage of a wide variety of topics, ranging from neuro- and psycho-linguistic research to studies of media and psychological counseling. Includes latest assessment of the global linguistic situation with particular emphasis on those geographical areas which are centers of global conflict and commerce. Explores new topics such as global media and mobile and electronic language learning. Includes contributions by internationally renowned researchers from different disciplines, genders, and ethnicities.

Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics

Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics PDF Author:
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0080547842
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 26924

Book Description
The first edition of ELL (1993, Ron Asher, Editor) was hailed as "the field's standard reference work for a generation". Now the all-new second edition matches ELL's comprehensiveness and high quality, expanded for a new generation, while being the first encyclopedia to really exploit the multimedia potential of linguistics. * The most authoritative, up-to-date, comprehensive, and international reference source in its field * An entirely new work, with new editors, new authors, new topics and newly commissioned articles with a handful of classic articles * The first Encyclopedia to exploit the multimedia potential of linguistics through the online edition * Ground-breaking and International in scope and approach * Alphabetically arranged with extensive cross-referencing * Available in print and online, priced separately. The online version will include updates as subjects develop ELL2 includes: * c. 7,500,000 words * c. 11,000 pages * c. 3,000 articles * c. 1,500 figures: 130 halftones and 150 colour * Supplementary audio, video and text files online * c. 3,500 glossary definitions * c. 39,000 references * Extensive list of commonly used abbreviations * List of languages of the world (including information on no. of speakers, language family, etc.) * Approximately 700 biographical entries (now includes contemporary linguists) * 200 language maps in print and online Also available online via ScienceDirect – featuring extensive browsing, searching, and internal cross-referencing between articles in the work, plus dynamic linking to journal articles and abstract databases, making navigation flexible and easy. For more information, pricing options and availability visit www.info.sciencedirect.com. The first Encyclopedia to exploit the multimedia potential of linguistics Ground-breaking in scope - wider than any predecessor An invaluable resource for researchers, academics, students and professionals in the fields of: linguistics, anthropology, education, psychology, language acquisition, language pathology, cognitive science, sociology, the law, the media, medicine & computer science. The most authoritative, up-to-date, comprehensive, and international reference source in its field

Endangered Languages and Languages in Danger

Endangered Languages and Languages in Danger PDF Author: Luna Filipović
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company
ISBN: 9027266441
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 413

Book Description
This peer-reviewed collection brings together the latest research on language endangerment and language rights. It creates a vibrant, interdisciplinary platform for the discussion of the most pertinent and urgent topics central to vitality and equality of languages in today’s globalised world. The novelty of the volume lies in the multifaceted view on the variety of dangers that languages face today, such as extinction through dwindling speaker populations and lack of adequate preservation policies or inequality in different social contexts (e.g. access to justice, education and research resources). There are examples of both loss and survival, and discussion of multiple factors that condition these two different outcomes. We pose and answer difficult questions such as whether forced interventions in preventing loss are always warranted or indeed viable. The emerging shared perspective is that of hope to inspire action towards improving the position of different languages and their speakers through research of this kind.

Bilinguality and Bilingualism

Bilinguality and Bilingualism PDF Author: Josiane F. Hamers
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521337977
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 344

Book Description
The study of bilingualism - the subject of this important textbook - is no longer exclusively an academic preoccupation but is a practical necessity in today's multilingual world. Over the past decades, researchers from a wide range of disciplines - linguistics, psychology, neurology and sociology - have been fragmented and often inaccessible to students. Bilinguality and Bilingualism (a thoroughly revised and updated version of the authors' textbook published in French) provides a comprehensive, critical review of current research, focusing on the need for genuinely explanatory accounts and the development of satisfactory theoretical models. The book explores the way in which bilingualism develops in childhood or later, on its social, neurological and psychological foundations, and on the social and cultural consequences of bilingualism. It also explores the wider issues of languages in contact; both psycholinguistic research to language teaching, translation and interpreting, and also language planning and policy-making. The multidisciplinary material is deftly and logically organised to provide a refreshingly clear synthesis which will be invaluable to students and also to specialists who want an up-to-date account of research in different disciplines. It will also be an important reference work for language teachers and for professionals involved in language planning and multilingual education.