ABSTRACT
A study of South Asian language use in the Greater Los Angeles (GLA) area would have to begin by stating the special features of this group of languages. The languages are transnational and each “home” country for a language is heavily multilingual and multicultural. Most major South Asian languages (SALs), especially those with a separate script and a strong literary tradition, exhibit a vibrant diglossia. The diglossic languages are almost like separate languages, with a different set of vocabulary and expressions used in defined contexts. Most speakers of SALs are at least bilingual if not multilingual. This multilinguality cuts across regional varieties, dialects, languages, and even language families. SAL users prefer to fall back on English as the base or common-experience language, almost neutral to country allegiances. The provision of opportunities to hear and/or use a SAL in a naturalistic environment beyond the home or home circle occurs in a rich variety of contexts in GLA.
