Promoting minority language use to foster revitalisation: Insights from new speakers of West Frisian

TY - JOUR

T1 - Promoting minority language use to foster revitalisation: Insights from new speakers of West Frisian

AU - Kircher, Ruth

AU - Kutlu, Ethan

AU - Vellinga, Mirjam

PY - 2024/7/1

Y1 - 2024/7/1

N2 - Language planners are increasingly aware of the importance of new speakers (individuals acquiring a language outside the home, typically later-on in life) for the revitalisation of minority languages. Yet, little is known about new speakers’ activation (the process by which they become active and habitual minority language users). This article presents a questionnaire-based investigation of new speakers’ (n = 264) use of West Frisian in Fryslân, Netherlands—and the role traditional speakers play in new speakers’ activation. Qualitative and quantitative data show that participants use West Frisian only rarely; and when they do use it, it is mainly in the classroom. Minority language interactions outside the classroom, with traditional speakers, consist mostly of a few tokenistic words or phrases. The findings show to what extent different behaviours by traditional speakers discourage and/or encourage new speakers’ minority language use, highlighting how the complex dynamics between the speaker groups are hindering revitalisation efforts. The article discusses the implications of these findings for language planning to promote the activation of new speakers, and thereby the revitalisation of West Frisian.

AB - Language planners are increasingly aware of the importance of new speakers (individuals acquiring a language outside the home, typically later-on in life) for the revitalisation of minority languages. Yet, little is known about new speakers’ activation (the process by which they become active and habitual minority language users). This article presents a questionnaire-based investigation of new speakers’ (n = 264) use of West Frisian in Fryslân, Netherlands—and the role traditional speakers play in new speakers’ activation. Qualitative and quantitative data show that participants use West Frisian only rarely; and when they do use it, it is mainly in the classroom. Minority language interactions outside the classroom, with traditional speakers, consist mostly of a few tokenistic words or phrases. The findings show to what extent different behaviours by traditional speakers discourage and/or encourage new speakers’ minority language use, highlighting how the complex dynamics between the speaker groups are hindering revitalisation efforts. The article discusses the implications of these findings for language planning to promote the activation of new speakers, and thereby the revitalisation of West Frisian.

KW - language use

KW - multilingualism

KW - minorities

KW - linguistic insecurity

KW - language contact

KW - language policy

KW - language planning

KW - language attitudes

KW - language ideologies

U2 - 10.1093/applin/amad045

DO - 10.1093/applin/amad045

M3 - Article

SN - 1477-450X

VL - 45

SP - 514

EP - 532

JO - Applied Linguistics

JF - Applied Linguistics

ER -