Language border

Language border

A language border (also language boundary) is the line separating two language areas. The term is generally meant to imply a lack of mutual intelligibility between the two languages. If two adjacent languages or dialects are mutually intelligible, no firm border will develop, because the two languages can continually exchange linguistic inventions; this is known as a dialect continuum. Since mutual intelligibility is somewhat of a vague concept, it cannot always be decided if a language border exists between two language areas.

A well-known example of a language border is the border between Romance languages and Germanic languages that stretches through Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Italy.

A language-island is a language area that is completely surrounded by a language border.

ee also

*Isogloss
*Linguistic geography
*Adstratum


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Border blaster — A border blaster is a licensed commercial radio station that transmits at very high power from one nation to another. Border Blasters should not be confused with international broadcast stations.The term is perhaps most widely used in the United… …   Wikipedia

  • Language-island — A language island is a language area that is completely surrounded by a language border.Examples for language islands:* Saterland * Brussels * Islenos * Palenquero * Alghero * Swabian TurkeySee also: *Enclave and exclave …   Wikipedia

  • Language secessionism — or linguistic secessionism is an attitude consisting in separating a language variety from the language to which it normally belongs, in order to make this variety considered as a distinct language. This phenomenon was first analyzed by Catalan… …   Wikipedia

  • Border Girl — Infobox Album | Name = Border Girl Type = Album Artist = Paulina Rubio Released = June 18, 2002 Recorded = 2001 Genre = Latin Pop Length = 62:03 Label = Universal Records Producer = Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|2.5|5… …   Wikipedia

  • Border Collie — Infobox Dogbreed name = Border Collie image caption =Border Collie Border Collie country = UK Scotland / England fcigroup = 1 fcisection = 1 fcinum = 297 fcistd = http://www.dogdomain.com/FCI/fcistandards/fci 297.htm akcgroup = Herding akcstd =… …   Wikipedia

  • Border search exception — The border search exception is a doctrine of United States criminal law that exempts searches of travelers and their property from the Fourth Amendment warrant requirement. The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ICE HSI Special… …   Wikipedia

  • Border Incident — Infobox Film name = Border Incident caption = Belgian Theatrical Poster director = Anthony Mann producer = Nicholas Nayfack writer = John C. Higgins Story: George Zuckerman starring = Ricardo Montalban George Murphy Howard Da Silva music = André… …   Wikipedia

  • Border Observer — The Border Observer is a weekly English language news magazine based in El Paso, Texas. From El Diario El Paso, was founded in 2004 in order to provide residents with analysis of news and events throughout El Paso County, and as a means of… …   Wikipedia

  • Border languages (New Guinea) — Infobox Language family name=Border altname=Tami region=New Guinea familycolor=Papuan family=a primary family of Papuan languages child1=Waris child2=Taikat child3=Bewani child4=? Morwap The Border (Tami) languages are an independent family of… …   Wikipedia

  • Border Country (novel) — infobox Book | name = Border Country image caption = author = Raymond Williams cover artist = country = United Kingdom language = English series = genre = Novel publisher = Chatto and Windus pub date = 1960 media type = Print (Hardback Paperback) …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”