Wer spricht Kanadisch?

ENGLISH: Canadian? Of course, Canada has two official languages: English and French. Beyond that, however, a multitude of other languages are spoken including those of the indigenous peoples and immigrants to the country. The collected papers in this volume highlight various facets of the exceptionally diverse linguistic landscape Canada has to offer while emphasizing the complex relationship between the two official languages. The precarious relationship between those two language communities has repeatedly endangered the survival of the Canadian Confederation. The contributions offer linguistic, ethnological, psycholinguistic, and cultural research perspectives. Particular attention is given to language policies across Canada, the contemporary situation of each language group, and their respective underlying historical development. Finally, the articles are complemented by a contribution on European migration languages and a comparison to the language policy in Switzerland. Numerous aspects render the Canadian situation particularly interesting. The two most internationally important languages of communication meet amidst a complex geography of relative majorities and minorities as well as cultural identities which have developed over time. Communities in which one of the respective languages is spoken by a minority are confronted with a question of survival. From a theoretical perspective an analysis of how this could potentially succeed is highly interesting; moreover, it is also of immense practical rele-vance. Two competing voluntaristic language policies exist – the official bilingualism of the Confederation and the promotion of the French language in Quebec. The respective policies have divergent objectives and have demonstrated complex results. The field of language policy has recurrently proven to be volatile in nature as can also be seen in conflicts which have emerged between linguistic groups in Europe. Can the proverbial peaceful and multicultural Canada set standards here as well? The collection represents an expanded and updated publication of key contributions to the colloquium contributed by the Bremen Institute of Canada and Quebec Studies at the “Festival of Languages” 2009.