”Språket fick jag inte med mig som liten”. Unga meänkielibrukares samtal om språkbevarande på sociala medier

Abstract

Young members of minoritized linguistic communities often face a situation of double marginalization. On one hand, many communities have struggled to maintain their languages due to oppression and assimilation politics, which often leads to a language shift. On the other hand, many young members also experience a language purism within the community, mostly from older generations, criticizing the young members’ linguistic practices and language skills. This paper explores how young Tornedalians, Kvens and Lantalaiset use social media as an arena for metapragmatic reflexions on minority language learning and Meänkieli maintenance. Drawing on data from the social media platform Instagram, this paper examines the role of Meänkieli in young peoples’ life and identity. The paper also explores how social media can contribute to create community among young Tornedalians, Kvens and Lantalaiset.