Sociolinguistics in SIL

Sociolinguistics in SIL focuses on identifying the minority languages of the world, assessing their ethnolinguistic vitality, and describing patterns of language use. The results of that research are applied to planning appropriate language development programs and activities.

There are more than 6,900 languages in the world. The Ethnologue, an SIL publication, lists these languages and provides a brief summary of important information about them. SIL fieldworkers have conducted many language surveys in order to collect data on these languages. Our survey reports, some of which are available electronically, provide a summary description of various linguistic and sociolinguistic factors which enable us to identify these language groups as being distinct from one another.

One of our special concerns is the ethnolinguistic vitality of the languages and cultures of the world. Many of the languages of the world are considered to be endangered languages and there is much concern among linguists and others about this situation. Wherever there is contact between languages there exists the possibility of the languages changing, or being lost.

SIL publishes a sociolinguistics series that deals with a broad range of sociolinguistic topics. The series began as Publications in Sociolinguistics, a venue for works covering a broad range of topics in sociolinguistics. It has been expanded to include topics in mother-tongue literacy, multilingual education, educational anthropology, and a variety of other issues and topics related to language and education. It is currently published as Publications in Language Use and Education.

We apply the results of this research to planning appropriate language development programs. Many of the world’s lesser-known languages are unwritten and the speakers of these languages may be unable to participate in the full range of resources and activities present in their national and regional situation. When the speakers of these languages desire, or where a national government policy promotes, the development of their languages for wider areas of use, SIL fieldworkers are prepared to work with them to identify goals and to develop strategies to achieve those goals. SIL offers its training and tools to anyone who might find them useful.