National Identity and Multilingualism in Lithuanian Cities
Volume 20 (2010): Studia Anthropologica, IV: Identity Politics: Migration, Communities and Multilingualism, pp. 112–122
Pub. online: 5 March 2010
Type: Article
Open Access
Published
5 March 2010
5 March 2010
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to analyse the growing concern over the treatment of multilingualism in the main cities of Lithuania (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda) with the focus on the population’s national identity and self-consciousness identifying the prospects of preserving the language-related national identity. The main problem seems to be deciding on which language of instruction would be most beneficial to balanced communication. This is a task requiring thoughtful planning and is surrounded by debate. Somebody prefer instruction only in the official language, but some aim to foster linguistic and thus social diversity by encouraging teaching in several languages, emphatically amplifying the English.