ISSN: 2306-5737E-ISSN: 2658-4069
Acta Linguistica Petropolitana
Transactions of the Institute for Linguistic Studies
ISSN: 2306-5737E-ISSN: 2658-4069
Acta Linguistica Petropolitana
Transactions of the Institute for Linguistic Studies 

Language ideologies and topoi in web discussions on Russia’s minority languages

DOI:10.30842/alp23065737191102137
PDF, 569.29 kb
Khilkhanova Erzhen V. Language ideologies and topoi in web discussions on Russia’s minority languages. Acta Linguistica Petropolitana. 2023. 19(1): 102–137.

The article argues for the need to study the language ideologies aired on the Web and social media as these represent an important but still under-investigated source for discovering the actual, live public opinions and language attitudes among the linguistically diverse Russian populations. The article relies on the Critical Discourse Analysis methodology with an emphasis on the argumentation schemes and content-related topoi behind the views opposing minority language maintenance. The reasons for narrowing down on this type of argumentation schemes are limitations on the article size and the greater relevance of ‘negative’ language ideologies and related topoi for explaining the continuing extinction of minority languages in Russia. The research revealed several of such language ideologies including those of language hierarchy, the normalcy of the (Russian) monolingualism, the “naturalness” of minority languages’ extinction due to their “uselessness”, “backwardness”, and “lack of prospects”, or association of support for these languages with nationalistic attitudes. Many Russian Internet-users believe that language is strongly tied to ethnicity and territory, that multilingualism is harmful for children’s development, and that the responsibility for language maintenance lies solely with the family. Discussants resort to a variety of topoi referring to legal, pseudo-scientific, pseudo-economic, quantitative, territorial arguments, and/or refer to a danger of separatism as a threat for national security. The list of the most popular and frequent topoi derived from statements in social media includes, among others, such topoi as “maintaining a minority language is a waste of money”, “learning many languages is a burden for children”, “it is only the ethnic group X that needs the ethnic language X”, etc. One of the findings is the coherence of ideology and pragmatics when people, depending on their initial attitudes, can invoke any convenient ideological justification for their (language) decisions to ‘persuade’ themselves and others. The article notes that both the opponents and supporters of minority languages’ maintenance may resort to the same ideology and topoi, with the former more often using the ‘standard’ arguments. Everyday consciousness gravitates toward simple solutions and explanations, toward more practical and obvious reasoning. The article concludes that the intensity and heat of language-related discussions, the prevalence of ‘Darwinian’ views and non-supportive language ideologies and arguments largely explain the current state of many minority languages in Russia.

Keywords
language ideologies, minority languages 1 of Russia, Internet, social networks, Critical Discourse Analysis, argumentation schemes, topoi
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Keywords
language ideologies, minority languages 1 of Russia, Internet, social networks, Critical Discourse Analysis, argumentation schemes, topoi
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