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- Category:Language islands
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Encyclopedic overview
A language island (a calque of German Sprachinsel), also known as a language enclave or language pocket, is an enclave of a language that is surrounded by one or more different languages. The term was introduced in 1847. Many speakers of these languages also have their own distinct culture.
Language islands often form as a result of migration, colonization, imperialism, or trade without a common tongue. Language islands are common of indigenous peoples, especially in the Americas, where colonization has led them to isolate themselves greatly.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “language island” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.