Australia's many voices 2

Australia is home to a rich tapestry of languages, including English, indigenous, migrant, and contact languages. While the multilingual landscape and the sociopolitical changes affecting these languages are well-documented, there has been a lack of comprehensive studies examining the entire linguistic 'habitat' from colonization to the present. This book, alongside its companion volume, addresses this gap by focusing on non-mainstream varieties of English, indigenous languages, and migrant languages. Utilizing census data and other sources up to 2003, it explores themes such as language demographics, shifts, and the socio-psychological factors influencing these changes. The discussion includes the uprooting of indigenous languages, their transplantation, and their contact with English. Additionally, it situates pidgins and creoles within the Pacific context of the nineteenth century. The study analyzes language and education policies up to 2003, linking them to the role of Australian English as the national language. It posits that Australia is entering a new phase of plurilingual tolerance. This work is valuable for specialists across various language and policy fields, while its accessible, discursive style makes it suitable for non-specialists without a linguistics background.