The role of employment in Gaelic language maintenance and development
The thesis contends that the fundamental problem affecting the status and condition of minority languages is the lack of a sound economic base, due, historically, to a decline in the speech-communities' access to resources and the power to exploit them. In contrast, majority languages are supported by relatively vibrant economies, with knowledge of the languages concerned a necessary requirement for participation: the use of language and the viability of the economic base are reciprocal and mutually reinforcing. The intrusion of the language of an economically strong community into another community's work practices is the initial breach which commences the process of language shift; the extent to which a language is used in the world of work is an indicator of the strength of economic base. Following a description of the historical and social factors shaping the current circumstances of Gaelic, and an outline of the thesis's economic premise, a report is given on the results of a survey carried out to discover the extent of the use of Gaelic in the world of work, in particular the number of posts, and the fields of work, for which a knowledge of the language was deemed desirable or essential. To gain perspective
Galloway, John M. K.
The role of employment in Gaelic language maintenance and development. The thesis contends that the fundamental problem affecting the status and condition of minority languages is the lack of a sound economic base, due, historically, to a decline in the speech-communities' access to resources and the power to exploit them. In contrast, majority languages are supported by relatively vibrant economies, with knowledge of the languages concerned a necessary requirement for participation: the use of language and the viability of the economic base are reciprocal and mutually reinforcing. The intrusion of the language of an economically strong community into another community's work practices is the initial breach which commences the process of language shift; the extent to which a language is used in the world of work is an indicator of the strength of economic base. Following a description of the historical and social factors shaping the current circumstances of Gaelic, and an outline of the thesis's economic premise, a report is given on the results of a survey carried out to discover the extent of the use of Gaelic in the world of work, in particular the number of posts, and the fields of work, for which a knowledge of the language was deemed desirable or essential. To gain perspective
role employment gaelic_language maintenance development contend fundamental_problem affect status condition minority_languages lack sound economic base due historically decline speech communities access resource power exploit them contrast majority_language support relatively vibrant economy knowledge language concern necessary requirement participation use language viability economic base reciprocal mutually reinforce intrusion language economically strong community another community work practice initial breach commences process language_shift extent language_use world work indicator strength economic base following description historical social_factor shape current circumstance gaelic outline economic premise report give survey_carry discover extent use gaelic world work particular number post field work knowledge language deem desirable essential gain perspective