Overview

This study evaluates the importance of language in achieving a sense of national solidarity, considering factors such as territory, religion, race, historical continuity, and memory. It investigates the historical experiences of countries and ethnic or regional minorities according to how their political leadership, intellectual elite, or independence movements answered the question, ""Who are we?"" The Americans, British, and Australians all speak English, just as the French, Haitians, and French-Canadians all speak French, sharing common historical origin, vocabulary and usage--but each nationality's use of its language differs. So does language transform a citizenry into a community / or is a ""national language"" the product of idealogy? This work presents 26 case studies and raises three questions: whether the people of independent countries consider language the most important factor in creating their sense of nationality; whether the people living in multi-ethnic states or as regional minorities are most loyal to the community with which they share a language or the community with which they share citizenship; and whether people in countries with civil strife find a common language enough to create a sense of political solidarity. The study also covers hybrid languages, language revivals, the difference between dialects and languages, government efforts to promote or avoid bilingualism, the manipulation of spelling and alphabet reform. Illustrations include postage stamps, banknotes, flags, and posters illustrating language controversies. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Full Product Details

Author:   Norman Berdichevsky
Publisher:   McFarland & Co Inc
Imprint:   McFarland & Co Inc
Edition:   illustrated Edition
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.381kg
ISBN:  

9780786417100

ISBN 10:   0786417102
Pages:   288
Publication Date:   05 March 2004
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

Table of Contents Acknowledgment      Preface and Dedication Introduction PART I: Countries with Competing Candidates for the National Language 1. Hebrew versus Yiddish: The Case of Israel 2. The Attempt to Revive Irish: A Nation Once Again      3. Norway’s Schizophrenia: New Norse (Nynorsk) versus Dano-Norwegian (Bokmaal/Riksmaal)      4. Maltese: “The Curse of the Country and Fit Only for the Kitchen”      PART II: Multiethnic Countries with Bilingualism and Multilingualism 5. Belgium: The Classic “Buffer State”      6. Switzerland      7. Spain: Five Official Languages, or Is It Only Four and Two-Thirds?      8. Canada      9. India      10. South Africa      PART III: The Celtic “Pygmy” Revivals of Welsh and Scots 11. Wales, Welsh and Plaid Cymru      12. Scotland, Scots and the Threatened Demise of Scottish Gaelic      PART IV: Dialects or Languages? 13. Italian Dialects      14. Scandinavian Languages: Unification Tried and Rejected      PART V: The Quarreling Cousins 15. Serbian and Croatian (Serbo-Croatian)      16. Czech and Slovak      17. Romanian and Moldavian      PART VI: Ethnic or Regional Minorities: Bilingual or Using the “Wrong Language”? 18. The Romanian-Speaking Hungarians      19. Alsace-Lorraine: German Speakers Who Identify with France      20. The German-Speaking Danish Minority in South Schleswig      21. The Swedish-Speaking Finlanders      22. Israel’s Hebrew-Speaking Arab Citizens      PART VII: Spanish versus Portuguese in Uruguay: The Case of Determined Government Planning to Avoid Bilingualism 23. Uruguay: The Origins of the Buffer State      PART VIII: The Struggle with the Chains of the Past (Greek, Arabic and Turkish) 24. The Greek Dilemma: Ancient (Attic) versus Demotike versus Katharevousa      25. Arabic: The Koran versus Modern Standard versus the Local Vernaculars      26. Turkish Identity Frees Itself from the Islamic/Arabic Yoke      Conclusion       Chapter Notes      Bibliography      Index     

Reviews

essential...highly recommended --<i>Choice</i>; broad...useful --<i>Ethnic & Racial Studies.</i>

Author Information

Norman Berdichevsky is a professional translator, writer and lecturer for several major cruise lines. Formerly a lecturer of Judaic studies at the University of Central Florida, he is the author of several books and lives in England.

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