Multilingualism in Arctic Cities: Sociolinguistic Aspects of Language Interaction

Annotation

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the sociolinguistic aspects of multilingualism in Arctic cities. The research aims to systematize and critically examine existing studies on the peculiarities of language interaction in the context of intensive urbanization in the Arctic. The methodology includes a qualitative content analysis of 74 Russian and international publications from 1980 to 2024, selected from leading scientific literature databases. As a result, key areas of research have been identified: the impact of urbanization and migration on the language situation, the relationship between language and identity, the visual presence of languages in urban space, and the language initiatives and practices of various population groups. The study reveals that urbanization poses risks of linguistic assimilation for indigenous peoples, but also opens up opportunities for revitalizing minority languages and developing new forms of cultural expression. The common patterns and local specifics of language interaction, as well as the factors of preserving and losing linguistic diversity in Arctic cities, are determined. The need for a balanced language policy and planning to support multilingualism as a key component of sustainable development in the Arctic region is substantiated. Prospects for further interdisciplinary research are outlined, considering the dynamic nature of sociolinguistic processes in the Arctic. The results make a significant contribution to the development of Arctic sociolinguistics and can be used to develop evidence-based language policies and planning measures in the circumpolar region.

About authors

Igor A. Danilov, Research Assistant
igor_danilov_2000@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1974-3088
Institute for Humanitarian Research and North Indigenous People Problems of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Petrovskogo, 1, Yakutsk, Russia
Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoy Kislovskiy per., 1, bld. 1 Moscow, Russia

Keywords

Arctic, city, urbanization, multilingualism, language interaction, indigenous peoples, minority languages, language revitalization, sustainable development

DOI

https://doi.org/10.37482/issn2221-2698.2025.61.185

UDC

81’272(985)(045)