A researcher from Aston University has co-edited a book that explores the intricate relationship between technology, language policy and cultural identity, presenting case studies of digital communication in smaller languages such as Breton, Gaelic, Faroese, Frisian, Lombard, Low German, and Welsh.

Heritage Languages in the Digital Age asks whether digital communication can help to prevent language loss of smaller languages and offers invaluable insights for educators, activists, policymakers and researchers navigating the challenges faced by minority languages in today's interconnected world.

Edited by Gertrud Reershemius, a professor of linguistics and language contact at Aston University, and Birte Arendt from Greifswald University in Germany, the book's central focus is on minority languages which are facing a declining number of speakers and a loss of communicative domains in an increasingly globalising world.

As these languages contend with the dominance of majority languages, stakeholders such as teachers, language activists, planners and researchers are re-evaluating traditional media strategies, language policies and teaching methodologies to counteract language shift trends.

The book also discusses how online communities influence language usage and cultural exchanges for minority speakers and advocates for adaptive language policies and innovative teaching methods to support minority languages and bilingualism while fostering linguistic pride and identity.

Professor Gertrud Reershemius said:

“The languages examined in this book are still spoken by a considerable number of speakers and enjoy varying forms of institutional, legal, financial and ideological support.

“While the overall numbers of speakers may be declining, their significance in identity construction and cultural commodification processes is undeniably growing.

“As the global discourse on language diversity and cultural preservation gains momentum, this book serves as a comprehensive resource for understanding and addressing the multifaceted challenges and opportunities facing minority language communities.”

You can purchase a copy of Heritage Languages in the Digital Age here.