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8 - Language and society

from Part 1 - Endangered languages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

By
Bernard Spolsky
Edited by
Peter K. Austin  and
Julia Sallabank
Peter K. Austin
Affiliation:
School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Julia Sallabank
Affiliation:
School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
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Summary

This chapter contextualizes the notion of endangered languages in a model of language and society. For sociolinguists, language loss, except as a result of extinction of speakers by natural disaster or mass murder, is an extreme case of a normal ongoing phenomenon, language shift. The fact or belief that the language is appropriately used at a higher level may encourage the belief that it should be used at a lower level. Religion has a major influence on language shift and maintenance both because of the values it assigns to a variety and also as a result of the active management involved in the establishment of an educational system. Education, particularly under the control of national states, has become one of the main forces for language shift and one of the main causes of endangerment of minority-language varieties.
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Endangered Languages , pp. 141 - 156
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

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  • Language and society
  • Edited by Peter K. Austin, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Julia Sallabank, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
  • Book: The Cambridge Handbook of Endangered Languages
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511975981.008
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  • Language and society
  • Edited by Peter K. Austin, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Julia Sallabank, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
  • Book: The Cambridge Handbook of Endangered Languages
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511975981.008
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Language and society
  • Edited by Peter K. Austin, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Julia Sallabank, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
  • Book: The Cambridge Handbook of Endangered Languages
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511975981.008
Available formats
×