This innovative collection explores critical issues in understanding multilingualism as a defining dimension of identity creation and negotiation in contemporary social life.

Reinforcing interdisciplinary conversations on these themes, each chapter is co-authored by two different researchers, often those who have not written together before. The combined effect is a volume showcasing unique and dynamic perspectives on such topics as rethinking of language policy, testing of language rights, language pedagogy, meaning-making, and activism in the linguistic landscape. The book explores multilingualism through the lenses of spaces and policies as embodied in Elizabeth Lanza’s body of work in the field, with a focus on the latest research on linguistic landscapes in diverse settings. Taken together, the book offers a window into better understanding issues around processes of change in and of languages and societies.

This ground breaking volume will be of particular interest to students and scholars in multilingualism, applied linguistics, and sociolinguistics.

Ingelesa hizkuntza hegemonikoa bihurtu da inpaktu handiko argitalpen zientifikoetan, eta hizkuntza gutxituak itzaletan gelditu dira. Eragin hori nabarmenagoa da ibilbide akademiko laburra daukaten eta diskurtsoaren ezaugarriak oraindik definituta ez dauzkaten euskararen gisako hizkuntza gutxituen kasuan. Lan honetan, artikulu zientifikoen laburpenen ezaugarriak aztertzen dira. Horretarako, ikerketa misto bat egiten da, non Swalesen mugimenduen teoria (1990) eta hizkuntza-azterketa bat aplikatzen diren. Emaitzen arabera, oro har ez dago homogeneotasunik, baina ezaugarri zehatz batzuetan joera batzuk identifikatu dira. Emaitza horiei esker, euskara zientziaren hedapenerako hizkuntza gisa instituzionalizatzeko erronka berriak identifika daitezke.

Gako-hitzak: idazketa akademikoa, alfabetatzea, hizkuntza minorizatuak, Giza Zientziak

Ikerlanaren helburua da Hegoaldeko Haur eta Lehen Hezkuntza irakasleek euskara, gaztelania, ingeles eta frantsesarekiko usteak neurtzea honako bost alorretan: bat, norberaren hizkuntza-mailan; bi, hizkuntza bakoitzari emaniko garrantzian; hiru, hizkuntza horiek ikasteko zailtasunean; lau, ikerketan baliatutako galdetegiko hizkuntza-hautaketan, eta bost, hizkuntza-hautaketa horren arrazoian. Emaitzek irakasleen hizkuntza-usteak eta -jarrerak sakonago ezagutzea ahalbidetuko dute. Gako-hitzak: eleaniztasuna, irakasleen usteak, Haur eta Lehen hezkuntzako irakasleak, hizkuntza minorizatua, hezkuntza eleaniztuna.

This book introduces a new and still emerging theoretical framework for understanding language shift, and presents several case studies of minority language communities using this approach. To date, approaches to language shift have typically relied on explaining the process through descriptive sociolinguistic models, i.e., how the community first becomes bilingual in both the majority and minority languages and then eventually shifts entirely to the majority language. The approach used in this edited volume attributes shift to a change from local control of tightly interconnected “horizontal” institutions within a community to more external or “vertical” control of those increasingly autonomous institutions outside the community. In short, this theory proposes that language shift is driven by specific changes in community structure. Unlike previous approaches to language shift, the one proposed here is generalizable. The bulk of the book contains chapters on language communities aimed at testing and refining the theoretical implications. The chapters cover different languages, contexts, and periods. Importantly, the two final chapters – from leading specialists in the broader field and working largely outside the US – provide critical commentary on the theoretical approach and again offer refinement toward a theory of language shift.

Explores the relationship between language, writing, and mobility
Demonstrates the importance of writing in a sociolinguistic context
Examines the impact of the digital revolution on communication patterns