The sociocultural ecology of language

Definition: Language exists in a sociocultural ecology: this approach investigates how language relates to the social and cultural forces that shape the conditions of speakers and speech communities (Steffensen and Fill 2014:7)

Steffensen and Fill also elaborate, that “when one focuses on the sociocultural ecology of language, one sees human (linguistic) interaction that both constitutes and is constituted by larger social and societal structures that include institutions, economic processes and sociocultural resources” (2014:12).

With this in mind, we can think about what impact do the following have on language.

Institutions

standardisation and form of language, financial resources, language planning and policies, implementing formal and informal education, revitalisation, impact of 'big' languages for minor(ity) language speakers

Economic processes

financing of language programs, education, revitalisation, creation and availability of materials for all aforementioned, job market, money flow influences politics, political representation of minority speakers, economic position of minorities (exclusion from job market, poverty, less resources for language teaching)

Sociocultural resources

preference of bigger languages (more social impact and influence; practical), unavailability of minority languages in everyday situations, stigma around minority languages (leading to their death), language as an expression of identity, long history of multilingualism enrooted in the cultures of certain communities helps maintain it,

References

Steffensen, S. V. and A. Fill (2014, jan). Ecolinguistics: the state of the art and future horizons. Language Sciences 41, 6–25.