Language and Nationalism in Europe

This book examines the role of language in the present and past creation of social, cultural, and national identities in Europe. It considers the way in which language politics may sometimes reinforce national identity (as in France), or sometimes tend to undermine the nation-state (as in Spain). After an introduction describing the interactive roles of language, ethnicity, culture, and institutions in the character and formation of nationalism and nationalidentity, the book considers their different manifestations throughout Europe.This is an accessible investigation of a subject of perennial importance in European culture and politics. Itwill be of equal interest to political scientists, historians, and sociolinguists. Chapters by leading scholars are devoted to Britain and Ireland; France; Spain and Portugal; Scandinavia, Iceland, and Finland; the Netherlands and Belgium; Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg; Italy; Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic; Bulgaria, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Albania, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia, Macedonia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; Greece and Turkey; the Ukraine,Belarus, Moldova, the Baltic States, and the Russian Federation. The book concludes with a consideration of the relative status of the languages of Europe and how these, and the identities they reflect,are changing and evolving.

“'This book gives an insight into why, historically, it has been sodifficult to maintain a particular language and how some have even come toconstitute a barrier to communication'Times Higher Education Supplement”

This book gives an insight into why, historically, it has been so difficult to maintain a particular language and how some have even come to constitute a barrier to communication'Times Higher Education SupplementThe study's emphasis on history would make the book a good companion text or resource for a course on the historical development of literary languages. Also, the large number of succinct definitions of relevant linguistic and sociological terminology ... make the book well-suited to students and accessible to non-linguists.'Linguist List 12.1554`Review from previous edition A well-written, well-edited volume, with a wealth of information for linguists and non-linguists alike.'Linguist List 12.1554

Stephen Barbour is a lecturer in German at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. His research and teaching focus chiefly on German language and the linguistics of German, but also include sociolinguistic issues in several areas, particularly in northern Europe. His publications include Variation in German, with Patrick Stevenson (1990; German edn. 1998), and a number of papers on language and nationalism. Cathie Carmichael teaches contemporary Europeanhistory at Middlesex University. A specialist in the cultural history of south-eastern Europe, she is co-author (with James Gow) of Slovenia: A Small State in the New Europe (2000), and has published articles onpopular culture and travel literature. She is currently working on a history of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, which will appear in 2001.

This book examines the role of language in the present and past creation of social, cultural, and national identities in Europe. It considers the way in which language politics may sometimes reinforce national identity (as in France), or sometimes tend to undermine the nation-state (as in Spain). After an introduction describing the interactive roles of language, ethnicity, culture, and institutions in the character and formation of nationalism and national identity, the book considers their different manifestations throughout Europe.This is an accessible investigation of a subject of perennial importance in European culture and politics. It will be of equal interest to political scientists, historians, and sociolinguists. Chapters by leading scholars are devoted to Britain and Ireland; France; Spain and Portugal; Scandinavia, Iceland, and Finland; the Netherlands and Belgium; Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg; Italy; Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic; Bulgaria, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Albania, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia, Macedonia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; Greece and Turkey; the Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the Baltic States, and the Russian Federation. The book concludes with a consideration of the relative status of the languages of Europe and how these, and the identities they reflect, are changing and evolving.

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