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Description:
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'Language attrition' describes the loss of, or changes to, grammatical and other
features of a language as a result of declining use by speakers who have
changed their linguistic environment and language habits. In such a situation
there may, for example, be simplification in the tense system or in certain
properties of subordinate clauses; some vocabulary items might fall into disuse
and phonetic features may be restructured. These changes can be affected by
features of the speaker's environment, but also by his or her attitudes and
processes of identification. This book provides a detailed and up-to-date
introduction to the way in which language attrition can affect language, as well
as to the extra- and sociolinguistic features involved. It also familiarizes the
reader with experimental approaches to attrition and data analysis techniques
and provides hands-on guidelines on how to apply them.
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