Language and Poverty

This volume explores the complex interactions of language with economic resources. The authors address the issues of poverty and language survival from multiple perspectives, drawing on linguistics, language policy and planning, economics, anthropology, and sociology. Contents Acknowledgements Contributors Chapter 1. Introduction Part 1: Poverty as a Factor in Language Maintenance and Language Death Chapter 2. Poverty as a Crucial Factor in Language Maintenance and Language Death: Case Studies from Africa Chapter 3. Language Diversity and Poverty in Africa Part 2: Language as a Determinant of Access to Resources Chapter 4. The Impact of the Hegemony of English on Access to and Quality of Education with Special Reference to South Africa Chapter 5. Econolinguistics in the USA Chapter 6. Where in the World is US Spanish? Creating a Space of Opportunity for US Latinos Chapter 7. Perpetuating Inequality: Language Disadvantage and Capability Deprivation of Tribal Mother Tongue Speakers in India Part 3: Language and Poverty: A Cross-disciplinary Perspective Chapter 8. Biodiversity, Linguistic Diversity and Poverty: Some Global Patterns and Missing Links Chapter 9. Language and Poverty: Measurement, Determinants and Policy Responses Chapter 10. Losing the Names: Native Languages, Identity and the State Part 4: Language, Poverty and the Role of the Linguist Chapter 11. The Role of the Linguist in Language Maintenance and Revitalization: Documentation, Training and Materials Development Chapter 12. Preserving Digital Language Materials: Some Considerations for Community Initiatives Conclusion "This book explores the bidirectional relationship between language and poverty, from the perspectives of linguistics, language policy and planning, economics, anthropology, and sociology. On the one hand, poverty affects language survival; in modern times the fundamental determinants of language shift and language death are economic. On the other hand, the languages people speak, or don't speak, can influence their economic status in substantial ways, limiting or facilitating access to jobs and education and full participation in the functions of the society. The issues encompassed by the twin themes of the volume have assumed growing significance in an era of increasing globalization and accelerating change in economies, technologies and traditional social structures. They are of practical concern to people in a wide range of disciplines and professions, including politicians, educators, social workers, language planners, and others who work and live in multilingual contexts."--Jacket

This book explores the bidirectional relationship between language and poverty, from the perspectives of linguistics, language policy and planning, economics, anthropology, and sociology. On the one hand, poverty affects language survival; in modern times the fundamental determinants of language shift and language death are economic. On the other hand, the languages people speak, or don’t speak, can influence their economic status in substantial ways, limiting or facilitating access to jobs and education and full participation in the functions of the society. The issues encompassed by the twin themes of the volume have assumed growing significance in an era of increasing globalization and accelerating change in economies, technologies and traditional social structures. They are of practical concern to people in a wide range of disciplines and professions, including politicians, educators, social workers, language planners, and others who work and live in multilingual contexts.