Keywords
Socio-Ethnolinguistics
Diglossia
Linguistic
Ethnolinguistic
Endangered Speech
Mech
How to Cite
Abstract
This study investigates the endangerment of the Mech language, a socio-ethnolinguistic speech community in West Bengal, through an ethnographic lens focusing on the interplay of language, identity, and power. Despite being classified as a dialect of Bodo, Mech exhibits distinct socio-cultural characteristics and faces declining vitality due to socio-economic pressures and the dominance of languages such as Bengali in West Bengal. Fieldwork in Chyakamari village reveals a diglossic linguistic environment where Mech is confined to informal and ritual domains, while dominant languages occupy formal and institutional spaces. The research highlights intergenerational shifts in language use, identity negotiation through code-switching, and the impact of linguistic capital on language choice. The findings underscore that Mech language endangerment reflects broader socio-cultural transformations, signalling the need for both community-driven and institutional efforts to preserve linguistic and cultural heritage.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr Nilanjana Roy Chowdhury (Author)