Language planning research and practice have largely ignored, or considered problematic, the diversity within endangered languages. Such a stance, though, conflicts with speakers' attitudes and desires, which often place high value on specific dialects. As grassroots, bottom-up approaches move to the forefront, so do concerns about the maintenance…

Language used in the home domain of Sindhis in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was studied. Migration patterns have resulted in the Sindhis becoming a linguistic minority in many parts of the world as well as in India. In this study actual speech patterns of parents toward their children and between spouses was observed, and a questionnaire was…

The status of pluralistic languages in the United States may be traced back to attitudes and policies developed in medieval England, where Norman French, Old English, and Latin were each associated with certain contexts and certain populations. English finally achieved dominant status in all domains, but this achievement came about through…

The first concept proposed by this paper for explaining the global dynamics of linguistic phenomena is "language power," the total investment in time, money, and energy that is made for the purpose of learning or preserving a particular language. Indicators that become factors in the formula for determining language power include…

The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, as part of its effort to revive French in Louisiana schools, arranged for a number of teachers from Belgium, France, and Quebec to assume teaching positions in that state. This report describes the experiences and attitudes of those teachers. Attitudes toward language maintenance, and…

Discusses the advantages of a bilingual education, and in particular the benefits of mother tongue instruction on the learning of the second language. (AM)

The small size and peripheral geographical location of the Gaelic speech community in the northwest of Scotland and the Hebrides are discussed as the two most important factors resulting in a lack of development in the concept and practice of bilingual education within the community's schools. (Author/HP)

The Chicano population in the Southwest is primarily bilingual. Chicano bilingualism persists amidst two opposing currents: language reinforcement through continuous contact with incoming Mexicans and isolation from other linguistic groups; and language shift, often the stronger current, from the permeation by the English language of all spheres…

At the llth Biannual Conference on French Language the subject of language planning and the future prospects of French language development were discussed. Promoters of French language worldwide concluded that francophone Africa will play a major role in French language development from the year 2000. (TR)

A synthesis of research on the Franco-Ontarian school environment focuses on the maintenance of French by Franco-Ontarian students, their French language proficiency, and their native language instruction. The relevance of these issues in other French language minority settings is discussed. (MSE)

Despite the removal of the native English-speaking elite from their position of power in the Liberian social structure, English continues as the language of prestige and socioeconomic advancement. The continued strong role and use of English in Liberia demonstrates the importance of the spread of Western-based cultural values. (Author/DJD)

Examines the creative manipulation of certain narrative devices in modern Greek and in Tosk Albanian to show (1) how narrative performances become ways of relating historical events and past experiences in present-day life; and (2) that studies of language death should more intensely use ethnography of the speaking paradigm to detect sensitive…

Reports a study which examined the degree of mother tongue maintenance and development of Japanese children temporarily residing in the United States in relation to their learning of English. Also looked at factors which affected individuals' success or failure in the learning of both languages. (SED)

Examines the language maintenance patterns of nonofficial language groups in Canada, using national census data. Reports that those born outside Canada have a greater propensity to maintain their language than the native born population, and that members of ethnic groups with a longer residence in Canada (such as Northern Europeans) tend to…

Language revitalization efforts in Garifuna communities are complicated by their dispersion in Central America, St. Vincent, and the United States. Garifuna language and culture originated on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, with the mixing of African and Arawakan languages. After the British conquered the island, they relocated thousands of…