As speakers of different languages interact, language contact will occur. Language contact will necessarily lead to language change for both parties involved in such contact. As languages change, the issue of competence becomes problematic. Who has the right to say what language will be taught in schools, or what kind of language will be published in the press and spoken in the media in a world where languages constantly change? The articles in this collection refer to several language areas in Europe, from the North (Scandinavia), the South (Spain / Balkan), the East (Ukraine / Russia), as well as the Center (Austria / Germany) and includes one contribution on Canada. They present different cases of language competence and assessment, languages in contact in different settings, and language changes which are related to applied linguistics, both from a sociolinguistic and an educational linguistic point of view. (Series: Poetry - Truth - Language / Dichtung - Wahrheit - Sprache - Vol. 11)

How do we construct national identities in discourse? Which topics, which discursive strategies and which linguistic devices are employed to construct national sameness and uniqueness on the one hand, and differences to other national collectives on the other hand? The Discursive Construction of National Identity analyses discourses of national identity in Europe with particular attention to Austria. In the tradition of critical discourse analysis, the authors analyse current and on-going transformations in the self-and other definition of national identities using an innovative interdisciplinary approach which combines discourse-historical theory and methodology and political science perspectives. Thus, the rhetorical promotion of national identification and the discursive construction and reproduction of national difference on public, semi-public and semi-private levels within a nation state are analysed in much detail and illustrated with a huge amount of examples taken from many genres (speeches, focus-groups, interviews, media, and so forth). In addition to the critical discourse analysis of multiple genres accompanying various commemorative and celebratory events in 1995, this extended and revised edition is able to draw comparisons with similar events in 2005. The impact of socio-political changes in Austria and in the European Union is also made transparent in the attempts of constructing hegemonic national identities. Key Features: *Discourse-historical approach. *Interdisciplinarity (cultural studies, discourse analysis, history, political science). *Multi-method, multi-genre. *Qualitative case studies.

Wie andere nationale Identitaten werden auch oesterreichische Identitaten uber eine Vielzahl von Diskursen hergestellt und verhandelt, darunter Debatten uber relevante, manchmal kontroversielle politische, historische, juristische Fragen. Diese Identitatsentwurfe erweisen sich als dynamisch und veranderlich. Funf inhaltliche Schwerpunkte ergeben sich aus der Analyse: die Konstruktion des Homo Austriacus/der Femina Austriaca, einer gemein-samen Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft sowie einer gemeinsamen Kultur und eines "nationalen Koerpers". Das vorliegende Buch stellt die Ergebnisse eines dreijahrigen Forschungsprojektes zu oesterreichischen Identitatsentwurfen im Gedenkjahr 2015 dar und zeichnet dafur die Entwicklungen seit 1995 nach. Der Inhalt Einleitung Theoretische Zugange und methodisches Vorgehen Homo Austriacus/Femina Austriaca: Wir und die Anderen Sprache/n und Identitat/en Erinnerung und Gedenken Nationalismus und Rechtspopulismus Grenzen und Grenzziehungen Toechtersoehne und nationale Identitat/en Kontinuitaten und Bruche 1995-2005-2015 Die Autorinnen und Autoren Dr. Rudolf de Cillia ist Professor i.R. fur Angewandte Linguistik und Sprachlehrforschung am Institut fur Sprachwissenschaft der Universitat Wien.Em. Distinguished Professor Dr. Dr h.c. Ruth Wodak, Lancaster University, und Professorin i.R., Universitat Wien, ist Sprachsoziologin und Diskursforscherin.Dr. Markus Rheindorf ist Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter und Lektor, Institut fur Sprachwissenschaft/Universitat Wien.Sabine Lehner ist Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin und OEAW-Stipendiatin, Institut fur Sprachwissenschaft/Universitat Wien.

How do we construct national identities in discourse? Which topics, which discursive strategies and which linguistic devices are employed to construct national sameness and uniqueness on the one hand, and differences to other national collectives on the other hand? The Discursive Construction of National Identity analyses discourses of national identity in Europe with particular attention to Austria. In the tradition of critical discourse analysis, the authors analyse current and on-going transformations in the self-and other definition of national identities using an innovative interdisciplinary approach which combines discourse-historical theory and methodology and political science perspectives. Thus, the rhetorical promotion of national identification and the discursive construction and reproduction of national difference on public, semi-public and semi-private levels within a nation state are analysed in much detail and illustrated with a huge amount of examples taken from many genres (speeches, focus-groups, interviews, media, and so forth). In addition to the critical discourse analysis of multiple genres accompanying various commemorative and celebratory events in 1995, this extended and revised edition is able to draw comparisons with similar events in 2005. The impact of socio-political changes in Austria and in the European Union is also made transparent in the attempts of constructing hegemonic national identities. Key Features: *Discourse-historical approach. *Interdisciplinarity (cultural studies, discourse analysis, history, political science). *Multi-method, multi-genre. *Qualitative case studies.