NSD2751

More than 70 historical minority languages are spoken in Europe, and several are in the process of being standardised. Studies of minority language standardisation typically focus on language revitalisation by addressing topics such as types of domain where the minority language is used, identifying domains in need to be strengthened and development of vocabulary, grammars and textbooks. Recently, the focus has been extended to issues of power and identity and discussions of whether standardization transfers nation state ideologies to minority languages. Developing a standard for a minority language is not a neutral process; this has consequences for the status of the language and how the language users relate to the new standard. An inherent problem with standardisation is whether the users themselves will accept and identify with the standard chosen. When standardising minority languages, one risks establishing standards that the users do not identify with. Thus, standardisation which was supposed to empower minority language speakers may create a new form of stigma for those who feel that they cannot live up to the codified standard. This project will employ a new theoretical approach to carry out in-depth analyses of standardisation, expanding the focus from language policy and linguistic aspects to include sophisticated analyses of how the users relate to standardisation processes. Language standardisation can be seen as a form of technology, and the project will use theories from the tradition of science and technology studies (STS) to analyse standardisation of historical minority languages in Europe. STS has dealt with different aspects of the standardisation of technologies. These insights will be applied to the case of language standardisation, and the project will explore the relevance of issues such as: how the users of the standard are configured, the exclusionary effects of standards, the positions of non-users, and the political role of standards.

For further information about ”Standardising Minority Languages, 2018”, please contact the principal investigator.