Language island
A language island (a calque of German Sprachinsel; also language enclave, language pocket) is an enclave of a language that is surrounded by one or more different languages. The term was introduced in 1847. Many of them also have a distinct culture.
Examples of language islands:
- Alghero
- Arbëresh
- Betawi
- Brussels
- Chipilo and Chipilo Venetian dialect
- Faetar
- Gorani
- Griko & Grecanico
- Khalaj
- Lusatia
- Monégasque
- Narada
- Okuyoshino
- Palenquero
- Pennsylvania German
- Saterland
- Szeklerland
- Swabian Turkey
- Tamanic languages (culturally Dayaks)
- Upper Harz
- And within Sinitic:
- Tianjinnese, a Central Mandarin variety surrounded by Northern varieties
- Ganzhounese, a Southwestern Mandarin variety surrounded by Hakka in southern Jiangxi, being one of the many Junhua
- Cantonese spoken in Sichuan Province
- Hangzhounese, a Mandarinic variety surrounded by Northern Wu lects, caused by the change of capital during the Southern Song Dynasty
- Zhongshan Min, a Southern Min language surrounded by Yue varieties, caused by migrants seeking shelter during the Song and Yuan Dynasties.
Gallery
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The predominantly French-speaking enclave of Brussels surrounded by Dutch-speaking area -
Language islands in Romania -
Sorbian language area in Germany
