This book deals with the language of 14 non-Russian republics, examining how their speakers struggle to maintain those languages as an integral part of their cultures. There are 19 chapters in five parts. After (1) "On Language," part 1, "The Western Borderlands," includes: (2) "Ukraine: The Little Russians"; (3)…

This collection of papers focuses on individual bilingualism and societal and educational phenomena. After "Introduction and Overview" (Jean-Marc Dewaele, Alex Housen, and Li Wei), 12 papers include: (1) "Who is Afraid of Bilingualism?" (Hugo Baetens Beardsmore); (2) "The Importance of being Bilingual" (John Edwards);…

This collection of papers presents a range of views about the three-layered language situation in Sweden, a situation not unlike that in many other countries worldwide. The papers include the following: "Introduction" (Sally Boyd and Leena Huss); "Swedish, English, and the European Union" (Bjorn Melander), which summarizes…

This book holds that the evolution of the mind has given rise to great diversity of language and culture, each going along with a distinct adaptation to life specific ecosystems or geographical areas. Much like the wealth of plant and animal species is essential to biodiversity and ecological balance, diversity in the world's languages is vital to…

The aim of this paper is to study the Finnish spoken in the Swedish Torne Valley, its use and development during the 1960s and the 1990s, and how it differs now from the Finnish spoken in the same area in the early 1960s. The study also examines which people speak Finnish in this valley today and in what contexts, as well as how the Finnish…

This comprehensive text examines various aspects of the Native American languages of California, including historical perspectives, daily usage, language domains, language maintenance, men's and women's language, and counting systems. Chapter 1 surveys the Indian languages spoken in California and shows how many people speak each one. Part 2 is a…

The theory and practice of assistance to speech communities whose native languages are threatened are examined. The discussion focuses on why most efforts to reverse language shift are unsuccessful or even harmful, diagnosing difficulties and prescribing alternatives based on a combination of ethnolinguistic, sociocultural, and econotechnical…

This collection aims to provide an introductory study of linguistic minorities in Central and Eastern Europe, taking into account historical development, present situation, language maintenance and shifts, as well as language and educational policies of the different countries in the area. The introduction (by Christina Bratt Paulston) discusses a…

This collection of 24 papers focuses on language and society in South Africa. Part 1, "The Main Language Groupings," includes (1) "South Africa: A Sociolinguistic Overview" (R. Mesthrie); (2) "The Khoesan Languages" (A. Traill); (3) "The Bantu Languages: Sociohistorical Perspectives" (Robert K. Herbert and…

This book examines language attitudes, focusing on individual attitudes toward majority and minority languages and bilingualism. Special emphasis is placed on research conducted on language attitudes in Wales toward the Welsh and English languages. Six chapters address the following: (1) the nature, definition, and measurement of language…

This edited volume covers the language situation in Malawi, Mozambique, and the Philippines, explaining the linguistic diversity, the historical and political contexts, and language-in-education planning, the role of the media, the role of religion, and the roles of non-indigenous languages. The book is divided into four chapters: "The…

The aim of this book is to investigate the motives for action on language behavior, whether this means corpus, status, or acquisition planning. It examines such questions as why individuals, groups, and governments try to influence their own or others' language behavior or language attitudes, and what drives authorities to try to control, favor,…

This book is an appraisal of the teaching of foreign languages in the 29 European countries taking part in the Socrates program. It contains a detailed analysis of the way teaching is organized, the approaches and content of curricula, arrangements for the recruitment and training of teachers, and the initiatives developed within the education…

This collection of papers examines how the changing social and academic context of language education in the United States impact the future of the discipline. After "Introduction" (Terry A. Osborn), the 10 papers include the following: (1) "'Our Patriotic Duty': Insights from Professional History, 1890-1920" (Deborah M. Herman); (2) "The…

This book focuses on the minority languages of Europe, those other than the national languages of European Union member states, by looking at the demographic, sociolinguistic, and educational aspects of both regional and immigrant languages. Empirical evidence for the status of these other languages of multicultural Europe is brought together in a…