| Summary: | Abstract This theses for the doctor’s degree investigates what kinds of language narratives build up the identity of those intellectuals (writers, editors and teachers, for instance) belonging to an ethnic minority who actively and regularly use their minority language. The present research differs from the main stream of minority research, which nowadays often focuses on multilingualism. On the basis of their written texts, the object of this comparison are three North Fennoscandian minorities: Meänkieli, Kven and Sámi, as well as two Hungarian minorities living in Romania: the Transilvanian Hungarians and the Csángós. The research focuses upon their use of the language, their approach to it, as well as the social and cultural factors that affect them. Particular focus is laid upon the Meänkieli language and Bengt Pohjanen’s work. The theses contains an introductory study and five — previously already published — peer-reviewed studies. The research material consists of printed media- and literary texts, being analysed in the context of the minority language- and cultural policy. The sources are examined within the framework of three theories: narrative research, discourse analysis and language ideology research. As the research method is concerned, it uses the method of socially contextualizing close reading. As their political, historical and cultural background is concerned, the examined minorities differ a lot, as do their language narratives. As the most important common narratives, the followings can be mentioned: without knowing your own minority language the essence of your own culture cannot be understood; multilingualism means profuseness, still your own minority language should have a special place as part of your cultural legacy; many a time, school is the place of language loss; there often is a close connection between religion and language; the awareness of the importance of your own languge helps in preserving, revitalizing and further developing the language. The borders of language and culture ...
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