Endangered minority languages. A comparison of the Upper Sorbian and North Frisian cases

Seminar Paper , 2013 , 31 Pages , Grade: 1,3

German Studies - Linguistics

When I was a child, I spent nearly all summer weekends at a campsite near Bautzen, Kamenz and Hoyerswerda – the central area of Catholic Upper Lusatia. I loved the car drive and was impressed by the bilingual street signs and the many crucifixes by the wayside. Both, the public display of religious symbols and the unknown language carried an air of exoticism which was very appealing to me. I knew from my parents that these villages we passed were Sorbian. What I did not know was that the language is endangered and that the existence of the Sorbian people is unknown to an extensive part of the German population.
I took these childhood memories as a starting point for exploring the history of the Sorbian people and their language. Following the example of many other linguists , this paper aims to take a comparative approach and look at the cases of Upper Sorbian and North Frisian as two endangered minority languages in Germany. It will examine the historical context and sociolinguistic aspects to describe how the two languages became endangered. Past and present measures to maintain the languages shall be traced and contemporary perceptions of the Sorbian and the North Frisian people and their culture will be looked at. I consider this reflection particularly important as knowledge about and attitudes towards a minority culture and their speakers influence the public representation of this group. The paper will discuss how the aspect of folklore is one way to raise interest and awareness for a minority people, its language and culture but may affect revitalization efforts negatively. In this regard, the paper will also critically reflect on the role of majority speakers in shaping a stereotyped image of a minority culture and thereby creating and sustaining a difference in status and prestige rather than promoting support.
The two cases might be linguistically, geographically and historically very different. However, the fact that both are minority languages in Germany renders an interesting comparison. We will see how political efforts to protect an endangered language can be of differing extent and result in one country. Reasons for the similarities and differences of both minority languages are worth being discussed.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Language loss
  • Historical overview
    • The Sorbian case
    • The Frisian case
  • Sociolinguistic aspects
    • The Sorbian case
    • The Frisian case
• Language maintenance – Efforts and outcomes
  • Looking back – Language maintenance until 1945
    • The Sorbian case
    • The Frisian case
  • Contemporary initiatives
    • The Sorbian case
    • The Frisian case
• Contemporary perceptions
  • The Sorbian case
  • The Frisian case

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper explores the historical context and sociolinguistic aspects of language loss, focusing on Upper Sorbian and North Frisian, two endangered minority languages in Germany. It examines past and present efforts to maintain these languages and critically analyzes contemporary perceptions of the Sorbian and North Frisian people and their culture. The paper investigates the influence of public representation, particularly the role of folklore, and the impact of majority speakers in shaping a stereotyped image of minority cultures. It also discusses the complexities of political efforts to protect endangered languages and their effectiveness.

• Historical overview of language loss in Upper Sorbian and North Frisian
• Sociolinguistic factors contributing to language endangerment
• Language maintenance efforts, past and present
• Contemporary perceptions of Sorbian and North Frisian culture and identity
• The role of folklore and the influence of majority speakers on minority representations

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• The introduction sets the context by discussing the author's personal experiences with the Sorbian language and culture, leading to the paper's main objective: a comparative analysis of Upper Sorbian and North Frisian as endangered minority languages in Germany. The paper aims to explore the historical and sociolinguistic factors contributing to their endangerment, examine past and present language maintenance efforts, and analyze contemporary perceptions of both languages and their respective cultures.
• The second chapter focuses on language loss, starting with a historical overview. In the case of Upper Sorbian, the chapter explores the historical suppression and persecution of Sorbian speakers from the 13th century onwards, including bans on the language in schools and public spaces, and the impact of German assimilation policies. For North Frisian, the chapter traces the evolution of the language, its coexistence with Low German and High German, and the influence of these languages on its present-day situation.
• Chapter three examines efforts to maintain Upper Sorbian and North Frisian, both historically and contemporaneously. The chapter looks at historical initiatives like the promotion of Sorbian education in the 19th century and the role of organizations like the Domowina and Maćica Serbska in supporting the language. For North Frisian, the chapter explores the impact of official policies, including the use of Frisian in schools and public institutions, and the role of community initiatives in language preservation.
• The fourth chapter delves into contemporary perceptions of Upper Sorbian and North Frisian culture and identity. It explores the ways in which folklore plays a role in shaping these perceptions and how the influence of majority speakers can contribute to stereotyped images of minority groups. The chapter examines the impact of these perceptions on revitalization efforts and the challenges of promoting both languages and their respective cultures.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper explores the complex issue of language endangerment, focusing on the cases of Upper Sorbian and North Frisian in Germany. The main keywords and topics include minority languages, language loss, historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, language maintenance, language revitalization, cultural identity, folklore, and the role of majority speakers in shaping perceptions of minority cultures. The paper examines the interplay of these factors and their impact on the preservation and promotion of endangered languages.

• College: Humboldt-University of Berlin (Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik)
• Course: Seminar: Multilingualism
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Thérèse Remus (Author)
• Publication Year: 2013
• Pages: 31
• Catalog Number: V275634
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656685258
• ISBN (Book): 9783656685241
• Language: English
• Tags: minority languages, Sorbian, North Frisian, endangered languages, language conservation, language maintenance, Upper Sorbian, Lausitz, Sociolinguistics