The first in-depth assessment of language use and attitudinal perceptions among adults who received an immersion education in a minority language.

Situated within the interrelated disciplines of sociolinguistics and sociology of language, this book explores the language use and attitudinal perceptions of a sample of 130 adults who received Gaelic-medium education (GME) at primary school, during the first years of that system's availability in Scotland. As the first students to have attended GME are now in their late 20s and 30s, this volume offers a timely examination of the long-term outcomes of the system in its earliest years, and of the future prospects for Gaelic language maintenance and revitalisation in Scotland.The book presents in-depth discussion and analysis of narratives in order to demonstrate former Gaelic-medium students' present-day relationships to the languages they speak, offering fascinating insights into the possible reasons - historical, ideological and personal - for these relationships. This book presents the first open assessment of the outcomes of Gaelic-medium education in Scotland, and offers suggestions for individuals and policymakers seeking to revitalise languages internationally.

This volume presents an interdisciplinary collection of essays, reviewing the state of Gaelic in contemporary Scotland, covering sociolinguistics and language policy, questions of identity and community and educational, media, cultural, and development issues. Contributions in Gaelic also have detailed English language synopses.

This volume presents an interdisciplinary collection of essays, reviewing the state of Gaelic in contemporary Scotland, covering sociolinguistics and language policy, questions of identity and community and educational, media, cultural, and development issues. Contributions in Gaelic also have detailed English language synopses.

New perspectives on the use and acquisition of a minority languageThe number of young people speaking Gaelic in Scotland is growing for the first time since Census records began but less than half of all Gaelic speakers use Gaelic in the home. This book sets out to explore why. Focusing on how people, communities and organisations are 'doing' Gaelic, this book explores the processes and patterns of Gaelic language acquisition, use and management across four key spaces of interaction: the family, the community, educational settings, and in organisations. The contributors adopt an experiential approach to give voice to speakers in a diverse range of communities, both geographically and socially, as the volume illustrates the ways in which the use of Gaelic is changing in the context of increasingly fragmented, networked communities. Gaelic in Contemporary Scotland provides a range of critical perspectives on existing models for minority language revitalisation and to introduce fresh ideas for language revitalisation theory. Through its analysis of the interconnections between, and differences within, Gaelic communities, this collection challenges old understandings of the Gaelic community as a single collective identity, making it an invaluable resource for students, lecturers and researchers interested in questions of linguistic diversity, linguistic minorities and language policy and planning.The first in-depth investigation of Gaelic based on sociolinguistic analysis Draws on the latest scholarship and expertise developed by the Soillse research network for Gaelic revitalisation Offers fresh perspectives from notable early career scholars together with internationally recognised experts in small language revitalization.

The Routledge Handbook of Language Revitalization is the first comprehensive overview of the language revitalization movement, from the Arctic to the Amazon and across continents. Featuring 47 contributions from a global range of top scholars in the field, the handbook is divided into two parts, the first of which expands on language revitalization issues of theory and practice while the second covers regional perspectives in an effort to globalize and decolonize the field. The collection examines critical issues in language revitalization, including: language rights, language and well-being, and language policy; language in educational institutions and in the home; new methodologies and venues for language learning; and the roles of documentation, literacies, and the internet. The volume also contains chapters on the kinds of language that are less often researched such as the revitalization of music, of whistled languages and sign languages, and how languages change when they are being revitalized. The Routledge Handbook of Language Revitalization is the ideal resource for graduate students and researchers working in linguistic anthropology and language revitalization and endangerment.

It is generally agreed that about 7,000 languages are spoken across the world today and at least half may no longer be spoken by the end of this century. This state-of-the-art Handbook examines the reasons behind this dramatic loss of linguistic diversity, why it matters, and what can be done to document and support endangered languages. The volume is relevant not only to researchers in language endangerment, language shift and language death, but to anyone interested in the languages and cultures of the world. It is accessible both to specialists and non-specialists: researchers will find cutting-edge contributions from acknowledged experts in their fields, while students, activists and other interested readers will find a wealth of readable yet thorough and up-to-date information.

Of the approximately 7,000 languages in the world, at least half may no longer be spoken by the end of the twenty-first century. Languages are endangered by a number of factors, including globalization, education policies, and the political, economic and cultural marginalization of minority groups. This guidebook provides ideas and strategies, as well as some background, to help with the effective revitalization of endangered languages. It covers a broad scope of themes including effective planning, benefits, wellbeing, economic aspects, attitudes and ideologies. The chapter authors have hands-on experience of language revitalization in many countries around the world, and each chapter includes a wealth of examples, such as case studies from specific languages and language areas. Clearly and accessibly written, it is suitable for non-specialists as well as academic researchers and students interested in language revitalization. This book is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.