Language Standardization and Language Variation in Multilingual Contexts: Asian Perspectives

This book makes a significant contribution to the sociolinguistics of Asian languages by focusing on Asia, particularly China and its neighbors, and by examining multilingual contexts. It challenges previous assumptions about language standardization and offers a corrective to them by exploring the interactions between multilingualism and language standardization. The chapters in this book provide valuable insights into the ways in which multilingualism is implicated in language standardization and the impact of language standards on multilingualism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2021
Publisher: Multilingual Matters

This groundbreaking work in Asian sociolinguistics makes significant strides in the exploration of language standards and standardization, offering two innovative approaches. Firstly, it delves into the realm of Asia, with a special emphasis on China and its neighboring countries, providing a unique perspective on the region's linguistic landscape. Secondly, it recognizes the importance of multilingual contexts and explores the intricate interplay between multilingualism and language standardization, challenging previous assumptions that assumed a monolingual nation-state and monolingual individuals.

The book comprises eight chapters that examine diverse forms of multilingualism and investigate the dynamics between multilingualism and language standardization. These chapters offer a corrective to previous studies on standardization, which often presupposed a monolingual nation-state and monolingual individuals. By collectively examining the chapters, readers gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which multilingualism influences language standardization and the reciprocal impact of language standards on multilingualism.

In addition to the valuable insights provided by the chapters, the introduction and Chapter 6 are available as open access publications. These chapters can be accessed freely at the following links: Introduction: https://zenodo.org/record/5749388#.YaiwuNDP3cs Chapter 6: https://zenodo.org/record/5749522#.Yaiw-9DP3cs

Dimension: 234 x 156 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800411555