ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the opportunities and challenges to institutionalizing new language practices and attitudes through the lens of the several Task Forces. It presents the overall landscape of Armenian by providing an introduction to the development of the two modern standards of Armenian, a brief history of Armenian immigration to the U. S., and the presence of Armenian in educational contexts. The pluricentric development of the language was triggered by historical and political factors in the history of the Armenian people as well as divergent linguistic developments. Some Armenians, mostly peasants and minor craftsmen, remained in historic Armenia, while many others lived outside of the homeland in diasporic communities, which formed, increased, or diminished as a result of invasions, massacres, revolutions, colonialism, and nationalism. Urban centers across diasporic communities served as bases for educated and liberal-minded intellectuals, who recognized the urgency of educating and informing the population, for which they needed an effective means of communication.
