c Utilization or elaboration: propositions are related to other information
and concepts in long term memory and connections are formed with
existing concepts and schema (see scheme).
see also language production, information processing, listening
comprehensionlanguage conflict n
disagreement among groups within a nation, state, or other political entity
about what languages should be officially recognized, protected, or devel-
oped. Typically, one language (or a variety of it) is supported by some and
rejected by others and, since the adoption of a particular language is closely
related to issues of national and regional identity, language conflict often
carries the potential for political instability. Well known twentieth-century
examples include many disputes over the ways that political boundaries
have been drawn and redrawn in India since independence from England
and policies concerning the role of French and English in public life in
Canada.
language contact n
contact between different languages, especially when at least one of the
languages is influenced by the contact. This influence takes place typically
when the languages are spoken in the same or adjoining regions and when
there is a high degree of communication between the people speaking them.
The influence may affect phonetics, syntax, semantics, or communicative
strategies such as address formsand greetings. Language contact occurs
or has occurred in areas of considerable immigration such as the USA, Latin
America, Australia and parts of Africa, as well as in language border areas
such as parts of India.
see also contact languageunder pidgin
language corpusn
see corpus
language death n
alsolanguage decline
the disappearance of a “living” language as its speakers switch to using
other languages and children cease to learn it.
see also language loss, language maintenance, language
revitalization
language declinen
see language death
language conflict