Reconstructing the past?: Low German and the creating of regional identity in public language display
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[1] Aston University
Aston University
Reino Unido
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- Localización: Journal of multilingual and multicultural development, ISSN 0143-4632, Vol. 32, Nº. 1, 2011, págs. 33-54
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
This article deals with language contact between a dominant standard language – German – and a lesser-used variety – Low German – in a situation in which the minoritised language is threatened by language shift and language loss. It analyses the application of Low German in forms of public language display and the self-presentation of the community in tourism brochures, focusing on bilingual linguistic practices on the one hand and on underlying discourses on the other. It reveals that top-down and bottom-up approaches to implementing Low German in public language display show a remarkable homogeneity, thus creating a regional ‘brand’. The article asks whether a raised level of visibility will in itself guarantee better chances for linguistic maintenance and survival of the threatened language.
