The Kashubian ethnolect (kaszëbsczi jãzëk) has become an object of the regional, state and European policy since 2005, when the Polish Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages qualified it as a regional language. It is spoken by 108 000 Kashubians and has a status of a second language in some offices of the Pomerania Voivodeship. Due to the difficult history of Kashubians and the persecution of Kashubian speakers in the times of the People's Republic of Poland, this language began to disappear. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) still considers Kashubian to be seriously endangered. To preserve this heritage language, it is taught at schools and universities. The University of Gdańsk offers a BA programme in Kashubian Ethno-Philology, as well as teacher training programme for future teachers of Kashubian. In this presentation we will talk about means to promote Kashubian language learning and cultural literacy both from the perspective of the language education policy of the state and research studies into Kashubian literature and language.

Authors:
Adriana Biedroń, Pomeranian University in Słupsk, Poland
Marta Gierczyńska-Kolas, Pomeranian University in Słupsk, Poland

About the Presenter(s)
Adriana Biedroń is professor in English Philology Department at the Pomeranian University in Słupsk. Her research focuses on individual differences in SLA, working memory and gifted foreign language learners.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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