Description:
This highly accessible book examines linguistic diversity in Galicia, one of the devolved regions of Spain. Its principal hypotheses are: that the Galician language is an intrinsic characteristic of Galician ethnic identity: that policy and planning impact on the behavioural practices of language users, reflected in loyalty and prestige factors: that whilst a reversal in traditional perceptions and attitudes is resulting in a reaffirmation of Galician as the autochthonous language, its sociolinguistic relationship with Castilian has not been resolved: that Galicians have to negotiate multiple identities, subject to constant change and adjustment. Through its innovative and in-depth analysis of Galician linguistic, sociolinguistic, ethnic and cultural revival and revitalisation processes, it also serves to emphasise the wider relevance of such studies to the case of minoritised languages in general.
Brief description:
Jaine Beswick is Lecturer in Linguistics, with a speciality in Spanish and Portuguese, at the University of Southampton, UK. She is an experienced teacher of sociolinguistics, phonetics and phonology and dialectology at both undergraduate and graduate level, and she is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Galician and French. She has published various papers on Galician and Portuguese sociolinguistics, and is currently heading two projects on Galician and Portuguese migrations to the UK.
Review Quotes:
Beswick deals with the main and most controversial topics of the linguistic situation in Galicia. She explores the relation between language and ethnic identity with a clear and courageous voice, and advances some prospects in the future of Galician. This book will interest scholars in the field of minority languages research, language ideologies and identity, and is destined to become an important work in Galician linguistics and social sciences.