Language Contact

The study of languages in contact is an ever-relevant topic in linguistics, especially at present times when increasing globalization leads to a number of new contact situations. This volume features ten papers on various aspects of language contact by leading specialists in the field. In these papers, contact-induced change in a wide variety of languages is approached from various perspectives, reflecting the current state of affairs in language contact studies. The first main theme in the volume is related to the linguistic effects of migration, both in the present and in the past, and both in the standard language spoken by ethnic minorities, and in immigrant languages that are influenced by the standard. The second theme concerns border areas, a traditional treasure trove for the study of contact phenomena. The third theme is about contact effects without physical contact, as well as the role played by translators in this process.

Jessamyn L. Schertz, University of Arizona, on Linguist List 21.3385, 2010:
The articles in this volume provide a rich source of interesting contact phenomena, too specific and nuanced to be encompassed by the blanket term ''accommodation.'' The next step is to explore whether these patterns have parallels across languages. In a field with such extraordinary breadth and diversity, it is only by cross-linguistic comparison and extensive dialogue between researchers that it will be possible to begin to answer some of the big-picture questions posed by many of the authors as areas for future research: for instance, which sorts of patterns or constructions are most susceptible to change, and which are more resistant to contact influence. Addressing these questions will lead to a better understanding not only of language contact, but also of first and second language acquisition, and this volume provides an excellent starting point for exploring them in a systematic manner.