THE INFLUENCE OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE ON ALBANIAN LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE AMONG ALBANIAN MIGRANTS IN GERMANY, AUSTRIA AND SWITZERLAND
Keywords:
Albanian diaspora, German language, language contact, bilingualism, migration linguistics, heritage language maintenanceAbstract
Migration has created new linguistic environments in which minority languages come into continuous contact with dominant languages. The Albanian-speaking communities living in Germany, Austria and Switzerland represent one of the most significant examples of European migration communities experiencing intensive bilingual development. This article examines the influence of the German language on Albanian language maintenance among Albanian migrants in German-speaking countries. The study focuses on language use patterns, intergenerational transmission, linguistic interference and the challenges faced by younger generations in maintaining Albanian as a heritage language.
Based on sociolinguistic perspectives on bilingualism, language contact and migration linguistics, the article analyses how German influences Albanian speakers in family, educational and institutional contexts. The findings indicate that while first-generation migrants generally maintain Albanian as their primary family language, younger generations increasingly demonstrate stronger competence in German, particularly in writing and formal communication. The study argues that bilingualism should not be understood only as language loss but as a dynamic process in which speakers negotiate multiple linguistic and cultural identities
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