The role of the home and family/caregivers is commonly acknowledged as being central to securing the intergenerational socialisation of minority languages. Research evidence demonstrates that the survival or demise of minority languages crucially depends upon the extent to which the language is passed on from one generation to the next within the…

Education and ethnicity cannot be discussed without taking language into account. This paper will argue that any discussion of ethnic minorities cannot ignore the question of language, nor can any discussion of human rights ignore the question of language rights. Unfortunately, in today's globalised world, governments and minorities are faced with…

In this article, the authors draw attention to the need for ethnolinguistic democracy at a time when linguistic and cultural issues are significantly impacting how schools, educators, students, and curriculum are perceived. The authors delineate the manifold acts of imperialism associated with the colonizing of young minds and bodies as culture…

The Internet has become an important communication medium and it is having a significant impact on language use. The present study takes a "snapshot" of how the Polish language is currently used with modern communications technologies by Polish-Australians living in Melbourne. Through a questionnaire, it surveys which communications…

Testimony concerning Senate Bill 1595 includes statements submitted by Senator Daniel Inouye, from the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, and S. Timothy Wapato, Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans, Department of Health and Human Services. The bill in question aims to preserve and enhance the ability of Alaska Natives to speak and…

This paper presents a field linguist's personal observations on language work and the language effort in Alaskan Athabaskan languages. Language work is the various ways in which people can make real accomplishments in one of the smaller languages for the benefit of themselves and the people around them, and for the benefit of the larger society.…

Preliminary findings of a survey of Cherokee language and education and the data collection and analysis methods are reported. The survey was designed to study language use, bilingualism, and education in the Cherokee community. The scope of the survey encompassed Cherokee children between the ages of 5 and 14 who attended public school and lived…

Intended to help teachers of English, language arts, and other subjects interpret "English Only" language issues for students, parents, and school communities, this book addresses various aspects of the controversy. Articles, listed with their authors, are as follows: (1) "The Roots of Language Protectionism" (Harvey A.…

A study investigated dialect change in a southern Netherlands city, where the dialect spoken is distant from Dutch in phonology, morphology, and lexicon. The dialect is commonly spoken in the city of Maastricht, and is not restricted to one social class. Subjects were 64 native inhabitants of Maastricht from three generations: older (over 55…

The use of informal group settings such as kaffeekranzchen for the maintenance of German language and culture among adult speakers is reported. Regular bimonthly kaffeekranzchen were held by a native German speaker at the suggestion of several German-Texan women, ranging in age from 40 to 79, who were interested in polishing and maintaining their…

This study is based on the general finding that the linguistic reality of a bilingual community is complex and that the two languages are not compartmentalized into any particular spheres of social life. It uses this finding to explore a theoretical position that treats facts regarding language functions and usage as if these, in and of…

A preliminary study was conducted by the National Center for Bilingual Education on the Korean community living in the United States. The study focused on Korean Americans residing within the Los Angeles Long Beach area of southern California, one of the largest Korean communities in the United States. This report includes: (1) a history of the…

Describes the use of Arabic in the news media, worship places, and schools of Arabic-speaking immigrants to the United States in the early 1900s and in the 1980s. Predicts that Arabic usage among 1980s immigrants will follow a pattern, noted among early immigrants, in which Arabic usage gradually diminishes. (KH)

Discusses the history of the decline of the use of Irish in Ireland since the 12th century and how present government policies and citizen attitudes have affected this decline. Government actions include establishing a Gaelic Board, setting nominal Irish qualifications for civil servants, and teaching Irish in the primary schools. (SED)

Examines the current revival of Welsh language and culture arguing that the traditional socioeconomic context of a Welsh-speaking environment is being eroded at the same time that the formal incorporation of Welsh into the parapublic sector (e.g., education) is being realized. (DMM)