Language death in the Isle of Man

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Language death, a significant aspect of language contact, has garnered the attention of linguists for over twenty-five years. While this phenomenon occurs globally, few instances have been examined from both sociolinguistic and formal linguistic perspectives. Notable examples include Nancy Dorian's work on East Sutherland Gaelic and Hans-Jürgen Sasse's study of the Albanian dialect of Arvanítika in Greece, which focus on dialects rather than complete languages. This study addresses the decline and extinction of Manx Gaelic as a community language and as an independent language. It begins by outlining the scenario of language death, then explores the sociolinguistic factors that contributed to Manx's decline. A comprehensive examination of language use in the Isle of Man is presented, including phonetic and sound recordings spanning its history. The study further investigates the formal linguistic aspects of Manx, tracing developments in phonology, morphophonology, morphology, morphosyntax, syntax, idiom, and lexicon that led to its demise. Additionally, it touches on the revival efforts from the late 19th century to the present. The appendices feature Professor Carl Marstrander's diary from his visits to the Isle of Man (1929-33), offering insightful observations on the state of Manx during its final phase. Overall, this study provides an in-depth look at the mechanics of language death in a once-thriving community.