keeleseisus

Keeleseisus is a concept in sociolinguistics that describes the overall status of a language within a speech community. It reflects how a language is recognized, used, and valued in social, political, and cultural life, and how these factors interact to shape language maintenance or shift. The term is commonly used in Estonian-language scholarship to discuss how languages coexist and compete within multilingual societies.

Key components of keeleseisus include official status, domains of use, standardization, and prestige. Official status refers to whether a language has formal recognition by the state or institutions, such as co-official status or designation as a minority or national language. Domains of use map where the language operates publicly and privately, including education, government, media, workplaces, and digital spaces. Standardization involves the development of uniform writing systems, grammars, dictionaries, and educational materials, which help stabilize and promote use. Perceived prestige or stigma also shapes keeleseisus, influencing people's willingness to learn, speak, or publicly identify with the language.

Assessment of keeleseisus draws on demographic indicators (numbers of speakers, age distribution, intergenerational transmission), sociopolitical factors (language laws, schooling, media availability), and attitudinal measures (language pride, perceived utility, and willingness to use the language in official settings). In policy contexts, keeleseisus informs planning for language maintenance, revitalization, or renewal, and serves as a lens to evaluate the effectiveness of language-support programs.

See also: language vitality, language policy, language endangerment, sociolinguistics.