Full Description
Who are the Moldovans? The Language of the Moldovans explores this question from the perspective of debates about the languages spoken by the people of this ex-Soviet state. Locating language as a central point of both cohesion and conflict in the region's recent history, the peculiarities of the Moldovans are illustrated by a survey of language attitudes, a series of ethnographic interviews, and extensive observations by the author. The result is an image of an emerging nation that is, at once, similar to the experiences of other ex-Soviet states and uniquely complex. Much of that complexity lies in the population's extensive multilingualism and in uncertainty about the Romanian-ness of the official language. This cross-discipline volume is of great interest to advanced students and researchers of linguistics, political science, and Eastern European studies.
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction: Language, Community, and Respect Chapter 2 A Flineur in Chisinau: Introducing the Participants Chapter 3 A Subtle Linguistic Science: Defining Boundaries Chapter 4 A Range of Identities: Breaking the Moldovans Chapter 5 A Survey of Attitudes: Picking the Favorites Chapter 6 A Measure of Proficiency: Predicting Performance Chapter 7 Conclusion: A Tactic of Abeyance Chapter 8 Appendix: Language Situation Survey Responses
