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Researching Language Loss and Revitalization

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Research Methods in Language and Education

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Language and Education ((ELE))

Abstract

Language loss refers to a societal or individual loss in the use or in the ability to use a language, implying that another language is replacing it. Revitalization, in turn, is commonly understood as giving new life and vigor to a language that has been decreasing in use and is today a rapidly growing field of study. Both fields are highly multidisciplinary, drawing from linguistics, sociology, education, psychology, anthropology, political science, and other disciplines.

Since the 1990s, the research interest in endangered languages and consciousness of the need to contribute to their survival have grown among researchers, and numerous studies have been undertaken to present what has been done to curb language decline and to explain why some languages survive and others do not. Researchers have also tried to pinpoint the most relevant factors and the ways in which they interact. Still, to establish language revitalization more firmly as an independent field of study, more research and theorization are needed.

Many revitalization efforts are connected with ethnic revival movements as revitalization of the language is often seen as a crucial part of the overall ethnic revival. As a reaction to former forced assimilation and oppression, revitalization movements are often seen as ways to healing, redress, and empowerment. Therefore, a growing part of revitalization research is today being done by, or in close collaboration with, researchers and other members coming from the language communities themselves.

The chapter deals with research approaches in the field of language loss and revitalization, as well as challenges faced by scholars in this area.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Hugo Valentin Centre, Uppsala University, SE-751 20, Uppsala, Sweden

    Leena Huss

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  1. Leena Huss
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Correspondence to Leena Huss .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Kendall A. King

  2. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Yi-Ju Lai

  3. Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Stephen May

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Huss, L. (2017). Researching Language Loss and Revitalization. In: King, K., Lai, YJ., May, S. (eds) Research Methods in Language and Education. Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02249-9_7

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