LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE & SHIFT LANGUAGE & SOCIETY WHEN ONE LANGUAGE MEETS THE OTHER Language maintenance Language shift LANGUAGE SHIFT Migrant minorities SCENARIOS Non-migrant communities Migrant majorities Migrant minorities Immigrant minority Local majority Migrant minorities • Language shift is expected • A sign of successful assimilation Pressure from the host society Language shift for practical reasons • Job • Education • Business The language shift of 2nd-generation immigrants If you don’t want to be part of us…  Debate Rages On Over 'English Only' Policies Migrant majority Local minority Immigrant majority Migrant majority Colonization  The colonial powers impose their languages on the colonies. Colonization More Population Immigrants Local population Colonization The Dominant Culture Immigrants Local population Case: The Isle of Man  The official language of the Isle of Man is English, while Manx Gaelic has also had official status since 1985. Manx has traditionally been spoken but is now considered "critically endangered".  Manx has been officially recognised as a legitimate regional language.  Manx is closely related to the Irish language and Scottish Gaelic.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Man#Language) Case: The Isle of Man Why is there a language shift on the island? Factors contributing to language shift Economic, social, and political factors   Job opportunities See no reason to maintain L1 Migrant majority Language shift does not necessarily occur when multilingualism is widespread. many indigenous vernacular languages Language shift could occur When one primary indigenous language is used Non-migrant communities Language shift due to political, economical and social changes LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE Demographic factors Where people live  Rural areas vs. urban areas. The size of the group   Spanish in the US. Chinatowns. Attitudes and values Positive attitude slows down the language shift.  A symbol of ethnic identity  The father in ‘My Fat Greek Wedding’ explaining the root of any word is Greek. http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=2ALrm3nDGXI An internationally recognized language slows down the speed of shift  French-Quebec LANGUAGE DEATH & LOSS Language death and loss When all people of a language die, the language dies too.  Endangered languages Why is it an issue?  A language carries the cultural heritage of its speakers. Examples 'Language Death: A Problem for All' By David Crystal  http://vimeo.com/6677955/ How a minority language can be maintained It is a symbol of group identity. The degree and frequency of contact with the the home group. Social factor may help.  Extended family vs. nuclear family Institutional support  Domains: education, law, religion, government, media Ethnolinguistic vitality  We can predict the likelihood that a language will be maintained by measuring its ethnolinguistic vitality. Components    The status of the language The size of the group The extent of institutional support Language revival Attitude   How strongly the speakers want to revive the language Their reasons for doing so Six factors which may help a language to progress (Crystal, 2000)  An endangered language will progress if its speakers:  increase their prestige within the dominant community  increase their wealth  increase their legitimate power in the eyes of the dominant community  have a strong presence in the education system  can write down the language  can make use of electronic technology Examples of language revival  Puyuma Language Revival  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHh_P72_fxA  Bunun Language Revival  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZklCYG2LNwA  Hebrew  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzEVczcZbQ  Ocitan  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5IxLW39D7s  Maori  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG2Abfglzq4  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbE53FKUV5g