Evaluating the impact of integration processes on the ethnopolitical competition of languages in the Baltic Region

In the literature, the impact of integration processes on language learning and usage is traditionally evaluated either through the prism of sociolinguistics or soft power. This article proposes a new conceptual approach based on measuring various aspects of competition between languages by the lang...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexander N. Neverov, Anton Yu. Markelov, Armen S. Airapetian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University 2021-09-01
Series:Baltic Region
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.kantiana.ru/eng/baltic_region/4952/31213/
_version_ 1818930064395337728
author Alexander N. Neverov
Anton Yu. Markelov
Armen S. Airapetian
author_facet Alexander N. Neverov
Anton Yu. Markelov
Armen S. Airapetian
author_sort Alexander N. Neverov
collection DOAJ
description In the literature, the impact of integration processes on language learning and usage is traditionally evaluated either through the prism of sociolinguistics or soft power. This article proposes a new conceptual approach based on measuring various aspects of competition between languages by the language integration and monopolization indices, on the one hand, and the polylingualism coefficient, on the other. The approach is applied to the situation in the Baltic Sea region of the EU. The article uses data from Eurostat, Eurobarometer, and the Baltic statistical offices to analyze the performance of Baltic language markets by assessing the impact of the EU integration on the use of languages in the region. The findings show a growing tendency towards polylingualism in countries participating in integration associations. Integration bodies, however, do not give one language precedence over others but encourage convergence of the languages of their leading economies. The main factor behind a language’s popularity is the strength of commodity and labor markets in the country where it is spoken. The authors conclude that close economic and political integration stimulates heterochronous processes in supranational associations. The first is increasing monopolization in the language market of the association and the language markets of its sub-regions. The second is the decrease in monopolization in national language markets.
first_indexed 2024-12-20T03:54:45Z
format Article
id doaj.art-ac395bce6b5b41b78953320fc6bf47f2
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2079-8555
2310-0524
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-20T03:54:45Z
publishDate 2021-09-01
publisher Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University
record_format Article
series Baltic Region
spelling doaj.art-ac395bce6b5b41b78953320fc6bf47f22022-12-21T19:54:22ZengImmanuel Kant Baltic Federal UniversityBaltic Region2079-85552310-05242021-09-01133587710.5922/2079-8555-2021-3-4Evaluating the impact of integration processes on the ethnopolitical competition of languages in the Baltic RegionAlexander N. Neverov0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4219-5291Anton Yu. Markelov1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5118-3324Armen S. Airapetian2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3165-7019Stolypin Volga Region Institute of Administration RANEPAStolypin Volga Region Institute of Administration RANEPAStolypin Volga Region Institute of Administration RANEPAIn the literature, the impact of integration processes on language learning and usage is traditionally evaluated either through the prism of sociolinguistics or soft power. This article proposes a new conceptual approach based on measuring various aspects of competition between languages by the language integration and monopolization indices, on the one hand, and the polylingualism coefficient, on the other. The approach is applied to the situation in the Baltic Sea region of the EU. The article uses data from Eurostat, Eurobarometer, and the Baltic statistical offices to analyze the performance of Baltic language markets by assessing the impact of the EU integration on the use of languages in the region. The findings show a growing tendency towards polylingualism in countries participating in integration associations. Integration bodies, however, do not give one language precedence over others but encourage convergence of the languages of their leading economies. The main factor behind a language’s popularity is the strength of commodity and labor markets in the country where it is spoken. The authors conclude that close economic and political integration stimulates heterochronous processes in supranational associations. The first is increasing monopolization in the language market of the association and the language markets of its sub-regions. The second is the decrease in monopolization in national language markets.https://journals.kantiana.ru/eng/baltic_region/4952/31213/baltic regionlanguage marketlanguage integrationlanguage monopolizationpolylingualismcompetition between languages
spellingShingle Alexander N. Neverov
Anton Yu. Markelov
Armen S. Airapetian
Evaluating the impact of integration processes on the ethnopolitical competition of languages in the Baltic Region
Baltic Region
baltic region
language market
language integration
language monopolization
polylingualism
competition between languages
title Evaluating the impact of integration processes on the ethnopolitical competition of languages in the Baltic Region
title_full Evaluating the impact of integration processes on the ethnopolitical competition of languages in the Baltic Region
title_fullStr Evaluating the impact of integration processes on the ethnopolitical competition of languages in the Baltic Region
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the impact of integration processes on the ethnopolitical competition of languages in the Baltic Region
title_short Evaluating the impact of integration processes on the ethnopolitical competition of languages in the Baltic Region
title_sort evaluating the impact of integration processes on the ethnopolitical competition of languages in the baltic region
topic baltic region
language market
language integration
language monopolization
polylingualism
competition between languages
url https://journals.kantiana.ru/eng/baltic_region/4952/31213/
work_keys_str_mv AT alexandernneverov evaluatingtheimpactofintegrationprocessesontheethnopoliticalcompetitionoflanguagesinthebalticregion
AT antonyumarkelov evaluatingtheimpactofintegrationprocessesontheethnopoliticalcompetitionoflanguagesinthebalticregion
AT armensairapetian evaluatingtheimpactofintegrationprocessesontheethnopoliticalcompetitionoflanguagesinthebalticregion