Language shift in the Alicante speech communities

The specific objective of this analysis is to provide a critical revision of the hypotheses and evaluations reached up to the present on linguistic conflict in Alicante, starting from an appraisal of the findings of a recent survey (Molla, Alpera, Gimeno ef al., 1985). The study of language maintenance and language shift is used in an attempt to determine the current sociolinguistic situation of the Alicante speech communities. In this particular instance, we have studied three dimensions of the above-mentioned conflict: 1) multilectism, 2) language shift from Valencian in economic relations, and 3) negative linguistic attitudes towards Valencian. Among other conclusions, we may say that the type of language preference pattern ¡n the Alicante speech communities is the «outgroup preference», in which speakers of both varieties (Castilian and Catalan) acknowledge the superiority of the dominant group's language variety (standard Castilian) both with regard to social power and to group solidarity values