Handbook of Language and Ethnic Identity

This volume presents a comprehensive introduction to the connectionbetween language and ethnicity. Since the "ethnic revival" of the last twentyyears, there has been a substantial and interdisciplinary change in ourunderstanding of the connection between these fundamental aspects of ouridentity. The distinguished sociolinguist Joshua Fishman has commissioned over25 previously unpublished papers on every facet of the subject. The volume isdivided into two sections, the first examining disciplinary perspectives on thesuject; the second uses the prism of geography, looking at the subject in thecontext of Africa, Scandinavia, Germany and the rest of Western Europe, NorthAmerica and elsewhere. The volume is truly interdisciplinary and thecontributors are all distinguished figures in their fields. Each chapter isfollowed by thought provoking questions and essential bibliography, and Fishmanpulls together the various views that have been expressed and shows how theydiffer and how they are alike.The volume is useful as a scholarly reference, aresource for the lay reader, and can also be used as a text in ethnicitycourses.