36.1073, Reviews: Migrationslinguistik: Melchior (2025)

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Subject: 36.1073, Reviews: Migrationslinguistik: Melchior (2025)

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Date: 27-Mar-2025
From: Luca Melchior [luca.melchior at aau.at]
Subject: Applied Linguistics, Language Acquisition: Melchior (2025)


Book announced at https://linguistlist.org/issues/35-2415

Title: Migrationslinguistik
Subtitle: Eine Einführung
Series Title: narr STUDIENBÜCHER
Publication Year: 2024

Publisher: Narr Francke Attempto Verlag GmbH + Co. KG
           http://www.narr.de/
Book URL: https://www.narr.de/migrationslinguistik-18517-1/

Author(s): Nikolas Koch, Claudia Maria Riehl

Reviewer: Luca Melchior

SUMMARY
Migrationslinguistik provides an introduction to the linguistic issues
associated with the phenomenon of migration. It is a handbook aimed
primarily at students (and at “interested colleagues”, as the authors
write in their preface [11]) at German universities and therefore
presents the topic using the example of migration movements and their
consequences in this country. The fourteen chapters of the book
attempt to cover the broad thematic spectrum of this research field,
ranging from the different forms of multilingualism, theories of
(second) language acquisition and the connections between migration
and language learning, forms and functions of multilingual speech,
phenomena of language attrition, preservation and loss of
multilingualism in the migration society, representations of migrants'
languages in the target society to a brief description of some
strongly represented heritage languages in Germany (Russian, Turkish
and Italian as diaspora languages), the connection between language
and individual identity and the challenges (and opportunities) for the
educational system, and so on.
Chapter 1 introduces the book’s central topic and the discipline of
migration linguistics, an innovative and interdisciplinary field that
examines language-related aspects of migration. As societies become
increasingly mobile and globalized, this field has gained growing
relevance.
The chapter provides historical and statistical data on migration to
Germany in the 20th and 21st centuries, emphasizing that migration
linguistics is fundamentally a study of multilingualism. It also
outlines the theoretical and methodological frameworks underpinning
the discipline, including variational linguistics, language
acquisition research, contact linguistics, and pragmalinguistics.
A methodological shift within migration linguistics is highlighted:
-          1970s–1980s: Quantitative and structuralist approaches were
predominant;
-          since the 1990s: Qualitative ethnographic methods and
interactional approaches have taken precedence, reflecting broader
trends in sociolinguistic research, where intercultural and
ethnographic methodologies have become increasingly influential.The
chapter concludes with an overview of the book’s structure.
Chapter 2 introduces key aspects of migration and multilingualism,
providing statistical data on migration to Germany. The authors
highlight that while the term migration background is often perceived
negatively, migration society is framed positively, as migration is
considered a driving force for social modernization. They argue that
migration is essential for economic and social development.
The chapter presents regional variations in migration history within
Germany, as illustrated by demographic data:
In metropolitan regions such as the Rhine-Main area, the Ruhr region,
and the cities of Stuttgart, Hamburg, Bremen, and Berlin, more than
35% of the population has a migration history.
In eastern regions the proportion is less than 14%.
The authors also analyze age distribution among individuals with a
migration history:
Highest proportion: Found in the 0–5 age group (40.8%).
Declines until the 35–45 age group, where it rises slightly (35.1% vs.
34.2% in the 25–35 age group).
Significant decrease in older age groups: 9.4% among those aged 85–95.
Regarding migration background composition, the authors categorize the
population as follows:
29.9%: German citizens without personal migration experience.
22.8%: German citizens with personal migration experience.
7.5%: Foreign citizens without personal migration experience (born in
Germany).
39.8%: Foreign citizens with personal migration experience.
The book distinguishes three types of migration:
Refugee migration: Has increased significantly since 2014.
Labor migration: Crucial in the second half of the 20th century,
particularly since the 1970s.
Elite migration: Includes expatriates, diplomats, and professionals,
who often do not identify as migrants.The authors emphasize that
public acceptance of migrants varies depending on migration type, as
does societal acceptance of their languages.
Another distinction is made between classic migration and
transnational migration:
Classic migration involves long-term settlement.
Transnational migrants (e.g., highly skilled workers, diplomats,
members of international organizations) exhibit greater mobility,
frequently relocating between countries.
The second part of the chapter explores the concept of
multilingualism. The authors argue that multilingualism is the norm,
encompassing internal multilingualism (e.g., dialectal variation).
They distinguish between:
Individual multilingualism
Social multilingualism
Institutional multilingualism
In line with recent research on multilingualism, the authors advocate
for a perspective that views entire linguistic repertoires, rather
than treating languages as separate systems. They emphasize
multicompetence, defined as the ability to utilize all linguistic
resources available to an individual.
The chapter concludes by discussing the relationship between heritage
language (‘Herkunftssprache’) and multilingualism. The authors
differentiate between:
Lifeworld multilingualism (informal, home-based multilingualism).
Educational multilingualism (school-based language acquisition).
They examine the societal status of these forms of multilingualism and
their impact on heritage language preservation.
Chapter 3 examines multilingual societies, beginning with a
distinction between territorial multilingualism, as found in
Switzerland, and di- and polyglossic situations, though the authors do
not explicitly use these terms. The discussion then shifts to the
issue of linguistic minorities within monolingual nations.Linguistic
minorities are categorized into two groups:
Minorised linguistic communities that exist in one or more nations but
remain in a subordinate sociolinguistic position, such as the Bretons
and Basques.
Majoritarian-minorised linguistic communities, which are dominant in
some countries but minorised in others. This group is further
subdivided into:
Border minorities (‘Grenzminderheiten’).
Linguistic islands (‘Sprachinselminderheiten’).
Autochthonous "remnant" minorities (‘autochthone Restminderheiten’),
such as the Ladins in Italy.
The authors highlight that international treaties such as the
‘European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML)’
primarily protect autochthonous language communities, while migrant
languages receive little to no protection.The chapter provides a brief
overview of autochthonous minorities in Germany, including:
Danish-speaking communities
Frisian-speaking communities
Sorbian-speaking communities
The Sinti and Roma minority
Additionally, it discusses five of the largest migrant language
communities:
Russian-speaking
Turkish-speaking
Polish-speaking
Albanian-speaking
Italian-speaking
Chapter 4 explores the relationship between migration and individual
multilingualism. The authors distinguish between two types of language
acquisition:
‘Ungesteuerter Spracherwerb’ (≈ natural language acquisition).
‘Gesteuerter Spracherwerb’ (≈ structured language learning).They then
turn to bilingual language acquisition, emphasizing its positive
cognitive effects, particularly in relation to theory of mind. The
chapter outlines:
The key characteristics of bilingual language acquisition.
The primary strategies for multilingual education.
A discussion of language dominance follows, covering:
Classical factors used to measure dominance, such as share of speech,
mean length of utterance, upper bound, and presence of functional
categories.
Domain-based theories of language dominance.The authors then examine
second language acquisition in early childhood, a common phenomenon in
migration contexts. They refute the double semilingualism hypothesis,
arguing that it is rooted in monolingual ideological biases. However,
they acknowledge that multilingual education presents challenges.
These difficulties are illustrated using German acquisition,
specifically:
The V2 position.
The use of parentheses.
The verb-final position in subordinate clauses.
The chapter concludes with an analysis of adult second language
acquisition, highlighting two key factors:
Motivation.
Age as a crucial determinant of language learning success.
Chapter 5 explores language learning in migration contexts, presenting
key theories of second language acquisition. It begins with the
structuralist contrastive hypothesis and proceeds to
generativist-inspired nativist theories, including the “Fundamental
Difference Hypothesis” and the “Access to UG Hypothesis”. The chapter
then introduces the “Interlanguage Hypothesis”, which focuses on the
dynamics of language learning and developmental processes,
particularly in educational contexts aimed at exam preparation.
The discussion continues with “Processability Theory” (cf. e.g.
Pienemann 1998) and usage-based approaches, which contrast sharply
with generativist theories. These models seek to explain both first
and second language acquisition (cf. Ellis/Wulff 2020), emphasizing
the role of individual differences and the impact of factors such as
the quality and quantity of interaction and input. A specific focus is
given to the ‘Competition Model’ (cf. e.g. MacWhinney 2022), which
integrates cognitive and linguistic perspectives on language learning.
Chapter 6 examines multilingualism across migrant generations. The
authors first critically assess the classical three-generation model
and introduce the concept of language generations in migration
contexts, distinguishing between first, second, and third generations,
as well as generation 1.5, which refers to individuals who migrated
during childhood or adolescence.
The chapter then outlines the key characteristics of language
acquisition across different generations before presenting methods for
studying language distribution and individual language dominance.
Particular attention is given to the “Language Vitality Index (LVI)”
(Extra 2015, 15-16), alongside studies on multilingualism in
German-speaking regions.Next, the authors introduce the “Linguistic
Capital Model” (Brizić 2006), which conceptualizes linguistic skills
as a form of social and economic capital. The chapter concludes with
an examination of societal and individual language attrition and loss,
linking these phenomena to previously discussed theoretical models.
Chapter 7 introduces key concepts related to language mixing among
multilingual speakers, including 'code-switching', 'code-mixing', and
'transfer'. These terms are explained with examples and shown to vary
in meaning depending on different theoretical approaches.The chapter
focuses primarily on code-mixing, defined as the alternating use of
two or more languages within a conversation, and transfer, which
refers to the lexical, semantic, grammatical, and pragmatic influence
of one language on another. The authors also highlight that certain
linguistic phenomena cannot be solely attributed to contact language
influence but rather stem from the simultaneous cognitive processing
of multiple languages. This process can result in the simplification
of complex linguistic structures, a phenomenon that occurs
independently of the typological proximity or distance between the
languages involved.
The chapter concludes with a discussion of the more recent concept of
'translanguaging', which is critically examined and ultimately
rejected.
Chapter 8 examines code-mixing as one of the most prominent features
of multilingual speech, particularly in the linguistic practices of
migrants, especially those of the second and third generations.
Several examples of code-mixing in speech are provided.The discussion
then shifts to 'code-mixing' in the language development of children,
emphasizing the importance of frequency in determining which
constructions are mixed. The role of prefabricated linguistic chunks
from one language being inserted into another is also highlighted.The
chapter further explores the communicative functions of code-mixing,
including:
Marking quotations.
Expressing personal attitudes.
Emphasizing key elements in conversation.
The relationship between language mixing and identity formation is
also examined, particularly regarding the ways in which individuals
use code-switching and code-mixing as markers of social and cultural
belonging.The chapter concludes with an analysis of psycholinguistic,
non-functional 'code-switching' triggered by specific words.
The following two chapters explore the impact of migration on
linguistic systems. Chapter 9 examines the effects of multilingualism
in migration contexts, focusing on Russian, Turkish, and Italian as
heritage languages. It analyzes changes across lexical, semantic,
morphological, syntactic, and pragmatic features. The chapter
identifies several common linguistic tendencies:
Lexical transfer frequently occurs when lexical items share formal
similarities across languages.
Morphological simplification can be observed in Turkish and Russian as
a result of language inheritance.Italian and Turkish show a tendency
toward pleonastic use of personal pronouns.
In Russian, article-like elements have emerged as a structural
development.Beyond these general trends, the authors emphasize the
importance of individual factors influencing language development,
including:
Age
Education level
Degree of language contact
They also highlight that linguistic contact typically involves
non-standard, colloquial, or dialectal varieties, rather than
standardized forms.
Chapter 10 explores the influence of migration on the German language.
It first introduces the concept of 'Gastarbeiterdeutsch' and examines
whether it constitutes a distinct variety of German. The authors
conclude that it is better understood as a collection of different
learner varieties rather than a coherent linguistic subsystem.
The chapter then shifts focus to ethnolectal German, analyzing its
linguistic characteristics from four perspectives:
Phonetics
Lexicon
Morphology
Syntax
The discussion further highlights how ethnolectal varieties initially
function as identity markers for specific ethnic groups but can later
be adopted by other ethnic communities as well as by members of the
majority group. This process, referred to as de-ethnicization, results
in the dissociation of ethnolectal features from specific ethnic
identities, integrating them into broader linguistic usage.
Chapter 11, authored by Johanna Holzer, shifts the perspective to
individual biographical narratives. Drawing on narrative
language-biographical interviews, the chapter illustrates the
identity-forming function of language(s) in multilingual and migratory
contexts.
Holzer distinguishes between two forms of positioning in discourse:
'Self-positioning' refers to how individuals construct their own
identity through language.
'Other-positioning' concerns how individuals are perceived and
categorized by others based on their language use.The chapter
demonstrates how language-biographical approaches contribute to the
linguistic reconstruction of identity, particularly in
migration-related multilingual settings.
Chapter 12, co-authored with Johanna Holzer, examines language policy
and planning, focusing on the visibility of migrant languages in host
societies. The authors analyze the presence of different languages on
the websites of selected institutions in Germany and find that:
Migrant languages are largely absent.
English is the most prominently represented foreign language.
Sign language and 'Leichte Sprache' (easy language) are well
represented.
French and Chinese appear only sporadically.
The chapter introduces key concepts in language policy, including:
'Language planning'.
'Language acquisition planning'.
'Language prestige'.
It also presents the 'language management approach' (cf. for example
Dovalil 2022) and explores its implications for migration contexts.
Finally, the chapter discusses linguistic landscape research with a
particular focus on migrant languages. It highlights possible didactic
approaches aimed at fostering:
'Language awareness'.
A critical engagement with 'language attitudes'.
Chapter 13, authored by Nicole Weidinger, examines immigration-related
educational inequalities in Germany. It focuses on disparities in both
skill acquisition and participation in education across different
stages of the German education system.
The chapter analyzes the key factors contributing to these
inequalities, highlighting the role of social disadvantage and limited
proficiency in academic German. It also discusses measures aimed at
the early identification and prevention of educational failure,
emphasizing the importance of early childhood education policies
designed to create equitable starting opportunities for migrant
children at school entry.
However, the authors point out that the specific conditions and
characteristics of migrant children's language acquisition are not
adequately considered. Additionally, they note that the positive
effects of language support measures have not been sufficiently
validated through empirical research.
The chapter concludes by identifying the development of appropriate
methods for assessing language proficiency and supporting language
acquisition as a priority in addressing educational disparities.
Chapter 14 examines the challenges that migration poses for the
education system. It begins by defining academic language, drawing on
various descriptive approaches. A key distinction is made between
'konzeptionelle Mündlichkeit' and 'konzeptionelle Schriftlichkeit'
(Koch/Oesterreicher 1985), followed by an exploration of the functions
of academic language in educational contexts.
The chapter highlights the central role of German language acquisition
in educational policies. However, the authors argue against teaching
German as an isolated subject. Instead, they advocate for integrated
language education (‘durchgängige Sprachbildung’), suggesting that all
subjects should be taught in a language-sensitive manner to ensure
equitable access to subject knowledge.
A key focus is the pedagogical approach of translanguaging, which is
presented in contrast to its critical discussion in Chapter 7. Here,
it is framed as a positive didactic strategy that acknowledges the
full linguistic repertoire of learners. The authors also highlight its
potential benefits in digital learning environments.The chapter then
addresses heritage language education, critiquing Germany’s federal
structure for resulting in inconsistent policies and varying
institutional responsibilities. The authors call for a multilingual
integrated language education model to ensure sustained linguistic
development across different languages.
Finally, the chapter introduces integration courses for adult
migrants, which aim to:
Develop German language proficiency.
Provide civic education on German history and institutions.
These courses, however, face significant challenges, including:
The heterogeneity of participants with highly diverse educational
backgrounds.
Varying levels of prior formal education and qualifications.
Precarious working conditions for instructors, which can impact the
quality and sustainability of these programs.
The book ends with a list of corpora, the bibliography and a subject
index.
Each chapter includes a link to online tasks along with their
corresponding solutions.
EVALUATION
This volume represents a significant contribution to the study of
migration linguistics. One of its most notable strengths is its
comprehensive examination of migration and its linguistic consequences
from multiple perspectives, including contact linguistics, language
acquisition, sociolinguistic approaches, and educational implications.
This multifaceted approach provides a well-rounded and insightful
analysis of the topic, successfully fulfilling the authors' objective
of offering an excellent introduction to migration linguistics for
both students and scholars.
There are only a few points of critique. One concerns the use of the
term linguistic island, whose appropriateness has been widely debated
in recent years (cf. e.g. Földes 2006, Wildfeuer 2017). Another
concerns the criticism of translanguaging in Chapter 7, which is not
entirely convincing for two reasons. First, the discussion focuses
exclusively on the interpretation of translanguaging by
Otheguy/García/Reid (2015), without considering other perspectives
(for a discussion, see Thöne/Kölling 2023, 13-16). Second, the
assertion that language is a social construct rather than a fixed
reality is well established in both the structuralist tradition (cf.
Coseriu 1980) and in contemporary sociolinguistic approaches.
Finally, as demonstrated in Chapter 14, translanguaging aligns well
with holistic conceptions of linguistic repertoires, such as Busch’s
(2012) framework, further highlighting its relevance within modern
sociolinguistic and speaker-centered research. Furthermore, it is
somewhat surprising that in the discussion of the functions of
educational language there has been no reference to the widely read
essay by Morek/Heller. The book's exclusive focus on the German
context may limit its applicability in Austrian and Swiss
universities. However, this, along with minor typographical errors
(e.g., MacWhinney 2022 mistakenly cited as ‘MacWhinney u. a. 2022’
[102]), does not diminish the overall quality of the work as well as
the overall quality of the volume, which deserves a wide readership.
REFERENCES
Brizić, Katharina. 2006. Das geheime Leben der Sprachen. Eine
unentdeckte migrantische Bildungsressource. Kurswechsel 21(2). 32–43.
Busch, Brigitta. 2012. The Linguistic Repertoire Revisited. Applied
Linguistics 33(5). 503–523. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/ams056.
Coseriu, Eugenio. 1980. “Historische Sprache” und “Dialekt.” In
Joachim Göschel, Pavle Ivić & Kurt Kehr (eds.), Dialekt und
Dialektologie.  Ergebnisse des internationalen Symposions “Zur Theorie
des Dialekts”, Marburg/Lahn, 5.-10. September 1977 (Zeitschrift Für
Dialektologie Und Linguistik. Beihefte 26), 106–122. Wiesbaden: Franz
Steiner.
Dovalil, Vít. 2022. Metalinguistic activities as a focus of
sociolinguistic research: Language Management Theory, its potential,
and fields of application. Sociolinguistica 36(1–2). 35–53.
https://doi.org/10.1515/soci-2022-0030.
Ellis, Nick C. & Stefanie Wulff. 2020. Usage-based approaches to L2
acquisition. In Bill Vanpatten, Gregory D. Keating & Stefanie Wulff
(eds.), Theories in Second Language Acquisition. An Introduction
(Second Language Acquisition Research Series), 64–82. 3rd edn. New
York/London: Routledge.
Extra. 2015. Mapping Urban Multilingualism in Europe: In Search of
Untapped Resources in Primary Schools. In Emili Boix-Fuster (ed.),
Urban Diversities and Language Policies in Medium-Sized Linguistic
Communities (Multilingual Matters 159), 1–24. Bristol/Buffalo/Toronto:
Multilingual Matters.
Földes, Csaba. 2006. ’Sprachinsel’-Paradigma auf dem Prüfstand:
Konzept, Terminologie und Forschungsmethodologie. Zeitschrift für
Deutsche Philologie 125(3). 321–341.
Koch, Peter & Wulf Oesterreicher. 1985. Sprache der Nähe - Sprache der
Distanz. Mündlichkeit und Schriftlichkeit im Spannungsfeld von
Sprachtheorie und Sprachgeschichte. Romanistisches Jahrbuch 36(1).
15–43. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110244922.15.
MacWhinney, Brian. 2022. The Competition Model: Past and Future. In
Judit Gervain, Gergely Csibra & Kristóf Kovács (eds.), A Life in
Cognition. Studies in Cognitive Science in Honor of Csaba Pléh
(Language, Cognition, and Mind 11), 3–16. Cham: Springer.
Morek, Miriam & Vivien Heller. 2012. Bildungssprache. Kommunikative,
epistemische, soziale und interaktive Aspekte ihres Gebrauchs.
Zeitschrift für angewandte Linguistik 57. 67–101.
https://doi.org/10.1515/zfal-2012-0011.
Otheguy, Ricardo, Ofelia García & Wallis Reid. 2015. Clarifying
translanguaging and deconstructing named languages: A perspective from
linguistics. Applied Linguistics Review 6(3). 281–307.
https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2015-0014.
Pienemann, Manfred. 1998. Language Processing and Second Language
Development. Processability Theory (Studies in Bilingualism (SiBil)
15). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Thöne, Clara & Marei Kölling. 2023. Translanguaging als Weg zur
mehrsprachigen Bildung? Theoretische Grundannahmen und offene Fragen.
In Esra Hack-Cengizalp, Melanie David-Erb & Irene Corvacho del Toro
(eds.), Mehrsprachigkeit und Bildungspraxis (Mehrsprachigkeit in
Bildungskontexten 2), 13–31. Bielefeld: wbv.
Wildfeuer, Alfred. 2017. Sprachinseln, Sprachsiedlungen,
Sprachminderheiten. Zur Bezeichnungsadäquatheit dieser und weiterer
Termini. In Alexandra N. Lenz, Ludwig Maximilian Breuer, Tim
Kallenborn, Peter Ernst, Manfred Michael Glauninger & Franz Patocka
(eds.), Bayerisch-österreichische Varietäten zu Beginn des 21.
Jahrhunderts - Dynamik, Struktur, Funktion. 12.
Bayerisch-Österreichische Dialektologentagung (Zeitschrift Für
Dialektologie Und Linguistik. Beihefte 167), 373–387. Stuttgart: Franz
Steiner.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Luca Melchior studied German and Romanian studies in Udine, Rostock,
and Timișoara before completing a postgraduate master's in language
teaching in Venice. He earned a PhD in Romance linguistics, focusing
on migration linguistics, in Munich and Udine. From 2009 to 2018, he
was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Graz, later becoming a
professor of multilingualism research at the University of Klagenfurt
(2018-2021). He currently holds a professorship in German didactics at
the same university. His research interests include migration
linguistics, multilingualism, minority languages, sociolinguistics,
language teaching, lexicography, and the history of linguistics.



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