Includes bibliographical references and index.

Machine generated contents note: 1. Language diversity in the United States: dispelling common myths and appreciating advantages Kim Potowski with Scott McGinnis; 2. Language contact in the United States Suzanne Romaine; 3. Native American languages in the United States Teresa L. McCarty; 4. Spanish in the United States Kim Potowski and Maria Carreira; 5. Chinese in the United States Yun Xiao; 6. Tagalog in the United States Elvira C. Fonacier; 7. French in the United States Albert Valdman; 8. Vietnamese in the United States Carl L. Bankston III and Vy Thuc Dao; 9. German in the United States Renate Ludanyi; 10. Korean in the United States Hae-Young Kim; 11. Russian in the United States Olga E. Kagan and Kathleen Dillon; 12. Italian in the United States Anna De Fina and Luciana Fellin; 13. Arabic in the United States Sonia Shiri; 14. Portuguese in the United States Ana Maria Carvalho; 15. Polish in the United States Bo�zena Nowicka McLees and Katarzyna Dziwirek; 16. Language policy in the United States Terrence G. Wiley.

"What are the most widely spoken non-English languages in the USA? How did they reach the USA? Who speaks them, to whom, and for what purposes? What changes do these languages undergo as they come into contact with English? This book investigates the linguistic diversity of the USA by profiling the twelve most commonly used languages other than English. Each chapter paints a portrait of the history, current demographics, community characteristics, economic status, and language maintenance of each language group, and looks ahead to the future of each language. The book challenges myths about the 'official' language of the USA, explores the degree to which today's immigrants are learning English and assimilating into the mainstream, and discusses the relationship between linguistic diversity and national unity. Written in a coherent and structured style, Language Diversity in the USA is essential reading for advanced students and researchers in sociolinguistics, bilingualism, and education"--