ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights often underestimated links between the fields of minority language media studies, sociolinguistics and translation studies. It seeks to clarify key concepts relating to minority languages, language planning and policy and audiovisual translation (AVT). The chapter focuses on the past and current experience of minority languages will raise awareness of issues also of relevance to small, and many major languages, since they too are becoming minoritized in a world dominated by global English. It is important that studies of minority languages do not ignore the plight of any other minoritized language, regardless of relative size. The discussion is as wide-ranging as possible, within the inevitable space constraints, and draws on examples from around the world, while also addressing the European situation and the case of minority languages within the European Union. Research has provided evidence of some side effects of translation and, in particular, AVT on small as well as major languages.
