Abstract:
The starting point for the article is Joshua A. Fishman’s eight point scale of activities that should be taken towards linguistic minorities and by them in order for the minority languages to survive (The Graded Intergenerational Dislocation Scale). All activities related to a minority language also serve to maintain the cultural identity. Based on the Fishman’s schema, certain activities undertaken by the Kashubian community are described and discussed whose aim is to preserve and develop their linguistic and cultural identity (in fields such as intergenerational transmission of the language, education, offi cial status of the language, public life and mass media, ethnic institutions and organizations). As a comparative background selected activities carried out by two different European minorities are presented, namely those of – Bretons in France and Sorbs in Germany. The presentation of contemporary activities undertaken by minority groups leads to refl ection on the present situation and condition of minority cultures and endangered languages.
