Standard language ideology and its influence on Lithuanian migrants. Samogitians’ attitudes towards their language variety

Abstract

Studies have been performed on how the Lithuanian language and its varieties are spoken and maintained by migrants living abroad as well as on how standard language ideology affects the speakers of regional varieties in Lithuania. However, what is lacking, is investigations on whether and how the Lithuanian standard language ideology affects regional variety speakers who live in foreign countries. Therefore, this research tries to bridge the existing gap between previous studies by analysing Lithuanian Samogitian migrants’ attitudes towards their regional variety, the main factors that might influence such opinions and whether the standard language ideology is one of these factors. The study analyses audio-recorded and coded semi-structured interview responses by Lithuanian Samogitians, currently living in various places in Germany. The results of the research are expected to reveal that migrants’ attitudes towards their regional variety are affected by different factors than those by non-migrants with the standard language ideology playing a less important role in shaping them.