Reversing Babel : declining linguistic diversity and the flawed attemps to protect it
This is an investigation about linguistic diversity, examining its decline in different societal conditions over the last century, and interrogating claims in language policy and planning to be 'protecting linguistic diversity', using the UK as its main example. Chapter 1 comprises a review of variationist sociolinguistics, showing how it has never fully defined linguistic diversity. Adjustments are suggested, and a working definition of linguistic diversity offered. Chapter 2 presents data from two major nationwide dialect surveys, in 1889 and 1962, showing how local dialects were weakening in this period. The main focus is declining diversity, but information is presented about possible conditioning factors, primarily increases in literacy. In the absence of such nationwide reports after 1962, Chapter 3 collates individual dialect studies from two regions of England, the northeast and southeast, describing dialect convergence across these large geographical areas. These changes are contrasted to those reported in Chapter 2. Again the main theme is declining diversity, but information is reviewed to help explain these contrasts, primarily increases in geographical mobility in the latter half of the 20th century,
Sayers, Dave
Reversing Babel : declining linguistic diversity and the flawed attemps to protect it. This is an investigation about linguistic diversity, examining its decline in different societal conditions over the last century, and interrogating claims in language policy and planning to be 'protecting linguistic diversity', using the UK as its main example. Chapter 1 comprises a review of variationist sociolinguistics, showing how it has never fully defined linguistic diversity. Adjustments are suggested, and a working definition of linguistic diversity offered. Chapter 2 presents data from two major nationwide dialect surveys, in 1889 and 1962, showing how local dialects were weakening in this period. The main focus is declining diversity, but information is presented about possible conditioning factors, primarily increases in literacy. In the absence of such nationwide reports after 1962, Chapter 3 collates individual dialect studies from two regions of England, the northeast and southeast, describing dialect convergence across these large geographical areas. These changes are contrasted to those reported in Chapter 2. Again the main theme is declining diversity, but information is reviewed to help explain these contrasts, primarily increases in geographical mobility in the latter half of the 20th century,
decline linguistic_diversity flaw protect investigation linguistic_diversity examine decline different societal condition interrogate claim language_policy plan linguistic_diversity use main example comprises review variationist sociolinguistics show never_fully define linguistic_diversity suggest work_definition linguistic_diversity offer present data two_major nationwide dialect survey show local dialect weaken period main_focus decline diversity information present possible conditioning factor primarily increase literacy absence nationwide report individual dialect study two_region england northeast southeast describe dialect convergence across large geographical_area change contrast report main_theme decline diversity information review help_explain contrast primarily increase geographical mobility latter