濒危语言问题研究综述

A survey of the research on language endangerment

随着经济全球化过程的加速,语言的大规模衰退乃至消失已经成为当代世界范围的普遍现象,也成为国际语言学界日益关注的问题。“濒危语言”的要领自20世纪70年代提出之后,在短短的十几年中迅速成为语言学领域的新热点,围绕具体语言的实际分析和普遍性规律的理论探讨这两个主题展开了热烈的讨论。本文从语言濒危现象调查和前景预测、语言濒危的类型和层级、语言衰亡原因等方面,对国外相关的研究进行综述,反映了濒危语言研究的新动态。

The acceleration of economic globalisation has led to the large-scale decline and even disappearance of languages worldwide. This has become a widespread global phenomenon and is attracting increasing attention from linguists all over the world. The concept of 'language endan-germent' was first proposed during the 1970s, and has rapidly become a focus of concern for linguists over the past few decades. Practical analysis of specific languages and theoretical dis- cussion of general principles have prompted lively debates. This paper provides an overview of language endangerment from the following aspects; current global situation, future prospects, types and grades of language endangerment, and causes of language decline. Recent research by overseas linguists is incorporated in order to provide a comprehensive picture of this global problem.