An investigation of factors affecting language maintenance and shift in the Greek community in Lebanon

Abstract

This study looks at language maintenance and language shift in the Greek community in Lebanon and identifies the factors that affect it. It uses as framework of analysis the Social Identity theory (Tajfel and Turner, 1979), the Ethnolinguistic Vitality theory (Giles et al, 1977) as well as the core value theory (Smolicz and Secombe, 1985). Objective data, a questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews were used, and the results of the study indicate that though the Greek community in Lebanon has high ethnolinguistic vitality, language use is not an essential component of this and a certain degree of language shift away from the use of Greek is taking place. This shift is occurring because the community does not hold language as the most important core value, for they give a bigger importance to Greek ancestry, culture and traditions. This, in turn, questions the assumption that ethnolinguistic vitality makes regarding the existence of a strong link between identity and language maintenance. Despite the noticeable shift, the community is engaged in activities aimed at maintaining the language and does so through institutional support in the form of classes and cultural events organized by the Greek community as well as among the population of Lebanon more widely.