Language maintenance or shift? : a study of Greek background students in Sweden

Abstract: This study explores and illustrates the process of language maintenance and shift among greek background students in Sweden, who attend home language instruction. The results show that students' attitudes learning greek were positive. The great majority of students indicated a strong in-group identification. Although the picture revealed in this study is one which in many respects seems to favour language maintenance, it is clear that there is a process of gradual shift taking place among the second generation greek students.