Socio-linguistic experience of immigration. Identity negotiation and cross-linguistic influences : a comparative analysis of two Polish communities in Austria and Ireland

Abstract

The thesis was written under the title of Socio-linguistic Experience of Immigration. Identity Negotiation and Cross-Linguistic Influences: a Comparative Analysis of Two Polish Communities in Austria and Ireland. The focus of this thesis is a comparative analysis of different sociological and linguistic aspects of Polish immigration in Ireland and Austria. When considering the sociological dimension of Polish immigration in the two host countries four hypotheses were formulated to guide our research. They related to the degree of openess of the host communities to immigration of the new comers; attitudes of Poles to other Poles and the hosts depending on the socio-political circumstances; attachment to the homeland and the host country; attachment to the native and target language.