Visibility and (re)vitalization: The case of Asturian language in Asturias, Spain

Gubitosi, Patricia; Medina González, Paola

doi:10.1075/lplp.00106.gub

Article published In:

Promoting linguistic vitality through public policy: The role of rules, costs and incentives
Edited by Bengt-Arne Wickström, Noémi Nagy, Anneliese Rieger-Roschitz and Balázs Vizi
[Language Problems and Language Planning 47:2] 2023
► pp. 208–229

Visibility and (re)vitalization

The case of Asturian language in Asturias, Spain

Patricia Gubitosi | University of MassachusettsAmherst

Paola Medina González | University of MassachusettsAmherst

Recent sociolinguistic research has shown the impact of public use of language expressions on people’s attitudes towards their language and how language can be susceptible to its environments. In this regard, the linguistic landscape (henceforth, LL) of a community helps sociolinguists to examine and decipher the power relationships of languages used in any bi/multilingual community. The presence or absence of a language in the public space carries a message that directly and indirectly reveals its centrality versus its marginality in the community.

The present study analyzes language (in)visibility in the LL of three major cities (Oviedo/Uviéu, Gijón/Xixón and Avilés) of Asturias, Spain, where Spanish is the majority language and Asturian is the regional language. The empirical data provided in this article are based on an exemplary selection of publicly visible language policies and a survey conducted by the authors on language attitudes. The results of the analysis suggest a mismatch between language policy and language use in the region and a lack of prestige bestowed upon the Asturian language.

Keywords: Asturian language, language policy, language visibility and revitalization, minority languages in the linguistic landscape

Article outline

1.Introduction
2.Literature review
3.Asturian, an endangered language
4.Methodology
5.Results and data discussion
6.Conclusions
Notes
References

Published online: 8 January 2024

https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00106.gub

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