Sidelangs

Sidelangs is a term used in sociolinguistics to describe languages that exist alongside a dominant or official language within a community, typically serving as secondary or peripheral means of communication rather than the main public language. The concept is not standardized across all linguistic literature, but it is useful for describing how certain languages persist in specific social domains or networks.

Sidelangs often occupy lower prestige and have limited institutional support. They may be transmitted mainly within families or local communities and can be vulnerable to language shift as younger generations adopt the dominant language for schooling, work, and media. Speakers of sidelangs are frequently bilingual or multilingual, using the sidelang in particular contexts while switching to the dominant language in formal settings.

Domains and functions of sidelangs tend to be informal and community-centered. They may appear in private speech, cultural practices, religious events, neighborhood networks, or local media targeted at specific groups. Code-switching between the sidelang and the dominant language is common, reflecting communicative needs, identity, and social boundaries.

Orthography and standardization vary. Some sidelangs have developed standardized forms and literacy traditions, while others remain primarily oral. Their vitality depends on intergenerational transmission, community hold, and supportive language policies, as well as the availability of education and media in the sidelang.

Examples of sidelangs are often observed in multilingual settings where a regional or minority language coexists with a national or dominant language. See also diglossia, language maintenance, language shift, minority language, and language policy.