Can majority support save an endangered language? A case study of language attitudes in Guernsey

摘要

Many studies of minority language revitalisation focus on the attitudes and perceptions of minorities, but not on those of majority group members. This paper discusses the implications of this and presents research into majority and minority attitudes towards the endangered indigenous vernacular of Guernsey, Channel Islands. The research uses a multimethod approach (questionnaire and interview) to obtain attitudinal data from a representative sample of the population that includes politicians and civil servants (209 participants). The findings suggest a shift in language ideology away from the post-Second World War 'culture of modernisation' and a monolingual ideal, towards recognition of the value of a bilingual or trilingual linguistic heritage. Public rhetoric in Guernsey now seems to support the maintenance of the indigenous language, which has resulted in a degree of official support. The paper then discusses to what extent this 'attitude shift' is reflected in linguistic behaviour and in concrete language-planning measures.