Abstract Walser German is a prototypical example of ‘extreme’ minority language, the survival of which appears at present extremely critical, at least in the Italian context. From a sociolinguistic point of view, Walser German is dispersed in a discontinuous territory and subject to language shift, language attrition and demographic shrinkage. Linguistically, it is part of a dialect continuum that stretches north of the Alps; yet, the dialects spoken in Italy have developed independently from each other and from their Swiss counterparts, with the result that they are now mutually unintelligible, and structurally too distant from Standard Modern German for this variety to be eligible as their Dachsprache. Given this background, the effects of a law protecting and promoting minority languages were foreseeable: Walser German is not a language under any sociolinguistic respect and could neither be protected or promoted by encouraging its use in administrative domains or developing a standard variety. However, what actually happened was not foreseeable either. Legal and funding support fostered documentation activities creating or enhancing local expertise in various domains; in addition, communities started to feel legitimised of a cultural and linguistic ‘otherness’ that could be exploited as a commodity, especially in the domain of tourism.

中文翻译：

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“拯救”垂死语言的困境

摘要 Walser German 是“极端”少数民族语言的典型例子，至少在意大利语境中，这种语言的生存目前显得极为关键。从社会语言学的角度来看，Walser German 分散在一个不连续的地区，并受到语言转变、语言减员和人口萎缩的影响。从语言上讲，它是阿尔卑斯山以北的方言连续体的一部分。然而，意大利使用的方言彼此独立发展，也独立于瑞士方言发展，结果它们现在相互无法理解，并且在结构上与标准现代德语相距甚远，无法将其作为 Dachsprache。鉴于此背景，保护和促进少数民族语言的法律的效果是可以预见的：瓦尔泽德语不是一种受到任何社会语言学尊重的语言，也不能通过鼓励在行政领域使用或开发标准品种来保护或促进它。然而，实际发生的事情也无法预料。法律和资金支持促进了文献活动，创造或增强了各个领域的本地专业知识；此外，社区开始感到文化和语言“他者”的合法性，这种“他者”可以作为商品加以利用，尤其是在旅游领域。Walser German 不是一种受任何社会语言学尊重的语言，也不能通过鼓励在行政领域使用或开发标准品种来保护或推广。然而，实际发生的事情也无法预料。法律和资金支持促进了文献活动，创造或增强了各个领域的本地专业知识；此外，社区开始感到文化和语言“他者”的合法性，这种“他者”可以作为商品加以利用，尤其是在旅游领域。Walser German 不是一种受任何社会语言学尊重的语言，也不能通过鼓励在行政领域使用或开发标准品种来保护或推广。然而，实际发生的事情也无法预料。法律和资金支持促进了文献活动，创造或增强了各个领域的本地专业知识；此外，社区开始感到文化和语言“他者”的合法性，这种“他者”可以作为商品加以利用，尤其是在旅游领域。