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Latgalian in Latvia: Layperson Regards to Status and Processes of Revitalization

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Abstract

This chapter investigates language regards towards Latgalian (a regional language used in the eastern part of Latvia) as well as metalinguistic knowledge of what Latgalian is. The aim of the chapter is to contribute to understanding the current sociolinguistic situation of Latgalian, emphasizing the views of native speakers and outlining how such data can be useful for folk linguistics. The chapter discusses experiences in gathering and interpreting data, using techniques that are associated with folk linguistics, an emerging field within applied linguistics. In the case of Latgalian, assumptions on attitudes towards languages among non-linguists have often been proposed without consulting these non-linguist laypersons themselves. Fieldwork for this research was carried out in the Baltinava district in northern Latgale in June 2013. Forty-five interviews have been analysed using approaches from discourse analysis, in particular with regard to metalinguistic topics. By extracting units of structure and relevance from the interviews (e.g., lexical choice, grammar, paralinguistic elements) and by analysing specific linguistic and pragmatic features, tools are highlighted that can help us look beyond what is said by laypersons and uncover what is presupposed.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Here and further throughout the chapter the information given in parentheses after the examples label the gender (M or F) and the age (years) of the respondents. All answers have been translated into English but are also provided in the original version (Latvian , Latgalian or Russian).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rēzekne Academy of Technologies, Rēzekne, Latvia

    Sanita Lazdiņa

  2. National Centre for Education, Riga, Latvia

    Sanita Lazdiņa

Authors
  1. Sanita Lazdiņa
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Correspondence to Sanita Lazdiņa .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Languages and Design, Rēzekne Academy of Technologies, Rēzekne, Latvia

    Sanita Lazdiņa

  2. DAAD Information Centre Riga, Riga, Latvia

    Heiko F. Marten

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© 2019 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited

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Lazdiņa, S. (2019). Latgalian in Latvia: Layperson Regards to Status and Processes of Revitalization. In: Lazdiņa, S., Marten, H. (eds) Multilingualism in the Baltic States. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56914-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56914-1_3

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-56913-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-56914-1

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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