ABSTRACT

Language Demography explores the emergence and development of language demography and looks especially for the presentation of the linguistic concepts involved in demography and the demographic concepts involved in sociolinguistics.

The first introductory guide of its kind, it is presented in a way that is accessible to non-specialists. The book includes numerous examples of the sources and types of data used in this field, as well as the various factors affecting language demography. Taking a global perspective supported by examples, explanations of how demolinguistic analyses are performed and their main applications in relation to minority and majority languages are given.

Language Demography will be of interest to students from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, from linguistics and modern languages to sociology, anthropology, and human geography.

Introduction

1. Demography and Demolinguistics

Demolinguistics and Geodemolinguistics

Demolinguistics and Geography

Demolinguistic Terminology

The Precursors of Demolinguistics

Summary

References

2. Linguistics for Demographers

Fundamental Linguistic Concepts

Geographic Considerations

Psychosocial Considerations

Social and Ethnic Considerations

Language Vitality

Summary

References

3. Demography for Linguists

Population

Composition of the Population

Population Distribution

Demographic Changes

Migrations

From Facts to Theories

Summary

References

4. Demolinguistic Data and Sources

Data

Sources

Administrative Registers

Censuses

Surveys 

International and Digital Sources

Encyclopedias, Catalogs, and Other Sources

Summary

References

5. Demolinguistic Factors

Speakers and Their Communities

Speaker Profiles

Explanatory Factors

Summary

References

6. Demolinguistic Analyses

Objectives and Levels of Demolinguistic Analysis

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

The Statistical Elements of Demography

Errors, Biases, and Changes in Criteria

Graphical Representations

Summary

References

7. Applications of Demolinguistics

Ethnic, Local, and Social Minority Languages

Immigrant Minority Languages

Regional and National Languages

Transnational Majority Languages

Summary

References

Conclusion