Do linguistic varieties die peacefully? A case study of Manx and the Yorkshire dialect to explore differences and similarities between language death preservation and dialect death preservation.

This dissertation explores the themes of language death and revival with a specific focus on the Manx language and Yorkshire dialect. The first chapter aims to define language death, explore the problem of “dead” vernaculars, address the history of Manx and the Yorkshire dialect over the last century and outline what the Manx Heritage Foundation and Yorkshire Dialect Society do. The second chapter details the methodology undertaken for primary fieldwork carried out in Yorkshire, December 2011 and the Isle of Man, January 2012.
The third chapter assesses the current state of Manx language revitalization by exploring traditional and modern strategies in the Isle of Man. The same analysis is then carried out on the Yorkshire dialect in relation to its revitalization strategies that are, again, explored via traditional and modern methods. A comparative analysis of the two varieties is then made through the differences and similarities between each variety’s revitalization strategies. After this, the analysis considers the fear of death, and other motives, as viable reasons for the revitalization of a linguistic variety. The fourth chapter summarizes the key points discussed in the analysis and ends on the futures for both varieties.