Language maintenance and shift

Louisa Willoughby
Monash University, Melbourne
Table of contents

Language maintenance and shift research forms a sub-field of linguistics with a complex history. Inspired at least in part by the Germanic research tradition into Sprachinseln (language enclaves that resist shift to the language of the surrounding society for generations; see Pauwels 2016) from the mid-1960s onwards we see an increasing movement of scholars documenting language practices among migrant families and communities – especially in the US (e.g. Clyne 1968; Fishman 1966; Lopez 1978; Skrabanek 1970). At the same time we see a parallel growth in research with indigenous communities around issues of language endangerment and reclamation (for an overview see Pauwels 2016). While the terms ‘language maintenance and shift’ have historically been used much more in reference to research on migrants, rather than indigenous groups, it is clear that many of the issues and theories are applicable in both contexts, and thus this entry will discuss both where relevant.

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