SOBOLEV, ANDREY N. (ed.) Between Separation and Symbiosis: Southeastern European Languages and Cultures in Contact, Boston/Berlin, 2021, De Gruyter Mouton.

Abstract

The volume edited by Andrey N. Sobolev, Between Separation and Symbiosis: Southeastern European Languages and Cultures in Contact, is a comprehensive examination of the linguistic and cultural interactions within the Balkans. This volume addresses the complexity of language contact phenomena in this area, challenging deterministic frameworks of the Balkan Sprachbund while offering nuanced insights into how social, historical, and linguistic factors shape convergence and divergence. The book is a collection of scholarly contributions, each focusing on specific instances of multilingualism and bilingualism, supported by empirical data and theoretical reflections. By addressing previously understudied communities and languages, Between Separation and Symbiosis makes a significant contribution to Balkan linguistics, historical sociolinguistics, and studies of language contact more broadly.