Ane Ortega

Linguistic identity among new speakers of Basque

Abstract The increase in Basque speakers in the last 30 years has been due in large part to ‘new speakers’ or euskaldunberri, a term that will be used here to refer to those who have learned the language by means other than family transmission. While very significant in numbers, to date this group has not been the object of much study. Little is known about their attitudes and motivations, how they perceive themselves as Basque speakers, or their language use and transmission patterns. Acquiring answers to these questions is of strategic importance for developing an effective evidence-based language policy for the future. This article presents the results of a qualitative study of new speakers. Drawing on data from focus groups and interviews, the central goal of the article is to examine how new speakers of differing profiles perceive and locate themselves with respect to the popularly used labels for “new” and “native” Basque speakers and the ideologies of authenticity and legitimacy that seem to shape these perceptions. The analysis shows that learning the language alone, even to a high degree of competence, does not guarantee a view of themselves as true and genuine speakers of Basque.

Does the number of speakers of a language determine its fate

Abstract Given the forthcoming near certain massive disappearance of languages during the twenty-first century, scholars have tried to identify the causes that are leading this process. Among those given, the number of speakers has been considered one of the most important predictors for the future of a language, and different “safety thresholds” have been proposed. However, examination of several sociolinguistic aspects in a fairly large sample of languages worldwide suggests that there is no direct relationship between the number of speakers and the probabilities of survival of a language. In this article, we will show that the number of speakers cannot be considered the only, not even the most important criterion, when trying to anticipate language survival or death. Instead, natural transmission and intergenerational use are shown to be better predictors. We will use data on more than 525 languages, collected by the Amarauna Languages group of the UNESCO Center in the Basque Country, with the purpose of writing a report on the current sociolinguistic situation of the world languages (Martí et al. 2005).

‘I’ll be one of them’: linguistic mudes and new speakers in three minority language contexts

ABSTRACT In this paper, we study the phenomenon of linguistic mudes or transformations in linguistic practices, in the case of highly proficient speakers of Irish, Basque and Catalan and we investigate the extent to which speakers in the three contexts share ideologies and experiences related to the process. Such an investigation will deepen understanding of the triggers behind the mudes and what it means to successfully become a new speaker of Irish, Basque or Catalan. This is necessary in order to develop a better understanding of how new speakers respond to the linguistic repertoires that they encounter in the various social milieus in which they navigate. The study relates to broader questions of policy towards the three languages in question: as all are operating within a revitalisation framework it is essential to understand the experiences of new speakers who have adopted the languages in order to guide future policy development.