The second issue of Volume 44 (autumn 2021) of the Nordic Journal of Linguistics will be a special issue dedicated to theoretical, empirical, and descriptive work on heritage languages and bilingualism, edited by Yvonne van Baal and David Natvig.
The study of bilingualism and language contact has contributed to our understanding of the formal and social nature of language since at least the 1950s (especially Haugen Reference Haugen1953, Weinreich Reference Weinreich1953). Over the last two decades, there has been a growth in research in a specific type of languages in a bilingual setting, i.e. heritage languages (see Montrul Reference Montrul2016, Polinsky Reference Polinsky2018), which are languages that are naturalistically acquired, but not the dominant language in the broader society (Rothman Reference Rothman2009:156).
Heritage language linguistics research contributes to descriptive, empirical, and theoretical issues concerning language acquisition and maintenance throughout the lifespan, linguistic processes, and language variation and change. For example, varied and differential linguistic input impacts the acquisition of linguistic representations. Additionally, shifts in language use over time affect speakers’ access to those representations for comprehension and production (Putnam, Perez-Cortes & Sánchez Reference Putnam, Perez-Cortes, Sánchez, Schmid and Köpke2019). There is evidence for comprehension and production asymmetries in numerous structural domains (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, etc.) and their interfaces (Benmamoun, Montrul & Polinsky Reference Benmamoun, Montrul and Polinsky2013). Finally, the socio-political contexts in which heritage languages are spoken offer fertile ground for examining a wide array of social factors that affect language maintenance and shift (Wilkerson & Salmons Reference Wilkerson and Salmons2008, Frey Reference Frey2013), as well as language changes connected with community-wide bilingualism (Haugen Reference Haugen1953). These factors in turn influence the heritage language that subsequent generations acquire, or cross-generational attrition in terms of Pascual y Cabo & Rothman (Reference Pascual y Cabo and Rothman2012).
In this NJL special issue, we invite contributions that consider contemporary issues in heritage languages and linguistics. Papers may have a descriptive, theoretical, and/or empirical focus that includes, but is not restricted to, the linguistic properties of heritage languages, variation and change within heritage languages and heritage speaker communities, the acquisition and maintenance of heritage languages across the lifespan, and community-wide and individual language contact and language shift. Submissions may consider any linguistic subfield or theoretical perspective that speaks to child or adult heritage language bilingualism, as well as any heritage language in contact with any majority language. We strongly welcome work on minoritized languages and other traditionally underrepresented languages in the field.
The deadline for submissions is 1 November 2020 and peer review will take place from winter 2020 to spring 2021. All submissions should be made through NJL’s ScholarOne/Manuscript Central site https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/njl. Prior to submission, authors should consult the Journal’s Instructions for Contributors, at https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/nordic-journal-of-linguistics/information/instructions-contributors, and follow those guidelines for manuscript formatting. Please contact David Natvig at d.a.natvig@iln.uio.no if you have any questions about this special issue.
