‘Guardians of the language’: language ideologies and migrants’ language learning experiences in Iceland and the Faroe Islands

Abstract

This study examines the impact of language ideologies on adult migrants’ language learning experiences in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. While prior research shows that larger and smaller language contexts provide different ideological environments for learners, few studies reflect on how newcomers in smaller language communities experience and respond to dominant language ideologies. We draw on ethnographic research conducted in the Faroe Islands and Iceland as migration raises questions about how first-language speakers, language learners and local authorities respond to these demographic changes. Policies in both contexts are informed by ideologies of monolingualism and linguistic purism. English functions as a widely spoken lingua franca and tool for learning small languages but also raises concerns about the future of these languages. In the Faroe Islands, two small languages, Faroese and Danish, are linked with social mobility and labour market access, complicating the learning environment. We find that migrants in small language communities encounter and express varied ideological positions, including protectionism, language as a key, native speakerism, authenticity, utility, and English as a lingua franca. These varied positions highlight how language ideologies relate to inclusion, labour mobility, and migrants’ investment in small languages.

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