The eighth in the series of books on language and development, this book brings out the political and linguistic dimensions of multilingualism in India. Professor Annamalai addresses three main issues: - what maintains multilingual speech communities and how this maintenance is promoted - what is progress in such communities and whom does it exclude - the impact of multilingualism on the purity norms of languages The author establishes that acquisition of multilingualism takes place through two processes. First, through formal schooling restricted to the elite, and second, through primary and secondary socialization at home and at the work place which is where majority learning takes place. He explains power relations in multilingualism by pointing out that for social purposes, code switching between languages constantly takes place for economic, social and political gains, though this does not necessarily imply that the less dominant language merges with the more dominant one. In fact, the opposite takes place for political gains. Professor Annamalai points out that the hierarchical relation between languages arises due to failure in planning, where the key actors in policy making use the provisions in the constitution for political gain, thus promoting preservation of a separate identity rather that language growth. The book finally explores the Code Use Groups, studying the grammatical neighbourhood of languages, and looks at the hexical insertion, language factor and linguistic determinants of code mixing.

This book brings together visions and realities of multilingual schools throughout the world so as to examine the pedagogical, socioeducational and sociopolitical issues that impact on their development and success. It considers issues of multilingual schooling in different countries and for diverse populations.

The principles for enabling children to become fully proficient multilinguals through schooling are well known. Even so, most indigenous/tribal, minority and marginalised children are not provided with appropriate mother-tongue-based multilingual education (MLE) that would enable them to succeed in school and society. In this book experts from around the world ask why this is, and show how it can be done. The book discusses general principles and challenges in depth and presents case studies from Canada and the USA, northern Europe, Peru, Africa, India, Nepal and elsewhere in Asia. Analysis by leading scholars in the field shows the importance of building on local experience. Sharing local solutions globally can lead to better theory, and to action for more social justice and equality through education.

This book explores the linguistic ecology of the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand, India through the experiences and discourses of minority youth and their educators. Providing in-depth examples of Indian multilingualism, this volume analyses how each language is valued in its own context; how national-level policies are appropriated and contested in local discourses; and how language and culture influence educational opportunities and identity negotiation for Kumauni young women. In doing so, the author examines how students and educators navigate a multilingual society with similarly diverse classroom practices. She simultaneously critiques the language and education system in modern India and highlights alternative perspectives on empowerment through the lens of a unique Gandhian educational context. This volume allows Kumauni women and their educators to take centre stage, and provides a thoughtful and nuanced insight into their minority language environment. This unique book is sure to appeal to students and scholars of multilingualism, sociolinguistics, language policy and minority languages.

The Routledge Handbook of Multilingualism provides a comprehensive survey of the field of multilingualism for a global readership, and an overview of the research which situates multilingualism in its social, cultural and political context. The handbook includes an introduction and five sections with thirty two chapters by leading international contributors. The introduction charts the changing landscape of social and ethnographic research on multilingualism (theory, methods and research sites) and it foregrounds key contemporary debates. Chapters are structured around sub-headings such as: early developments, key issues related to theory and method, new research directions. This handbook offers an authoritative guide to shifts over time in thinking about multilingualism as well as providing an overview of the range of contemporary themes, debates and research sites. The Routledge Handbook of Multilingualism is the ideal resource for postgraduate students of multilingualism, as well as those studying education and anthropology.

In today's global world, where Asia is an increasing area of focus, it is vital to explore what it means to 'understand' Asian cultures through English and other languages. This volume presents new research on English in Asia, alongside Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi-Urdu, Malay, Russian and other languages.

This state-of-the-art volume provides an interdisciplinary overview of current topics and research foci in the areas of linguistic diversity and migration-induced multilingualism and aims to lay the foundations for interdisciplinary work and the development of a common methodological framework for the field. Linguistic diversity and migration-induced multilingualism are complex, mufti-faceted phenomena that need to be studied from different, complementary perspectives. The volume comprises a total of fourteen contributions from linguistic, educationist, and urban sociological perspectives and highlights the areas of language acquisition, contact and change, multilingual identities, urban spaces, and education. Linguistic diversity can be framed as a result of current processes of migration and globalization. As such the topic of the present volume addresses both a general audience interested in migration and globalization on a more general level, and a more specialized audience interested in the linguistic repercussions of these large-scale societal developments.