Language, Community and the State: Linguistic development in European nations

This text examines European languages and the communities using them, from differing points of view. The volume examines: the linguistic classification of the language families used in Europe and traces how they became standard languages; and investigates language shift and the political, social and economic factors that cause communities to adopt a new language. Many have decreed that one language rather than another shall be official, and have special responsibilities in shaping the language chosen: the question of preserving regional and minority languages within the State's borders is addressed with reference to this. As some languages have spread over the entire globe, migration within (and from without) Europe leads the author to consider the value of language as a symbol of identity and the likelihood of voluntary multilingualism, or language peace, in Europe. The book shows that problems communication poses cannot be divorced from the idea of international communication.