Multilingualism in Brandenburg: A new book about families and language!

Multilingualism in Brandenburg: A new book about families and language!

Verena Maar, a PhD linguist and expert on multilingualism, has published a new book entitled “The influence of the border and the limit of influence: family language policy in Brandenburg among German-Polish multilingual families”. The work will be published by the Potsdam University Press in 2025 and offers a deep insight into the linguistic diversity of the region. In her book, Maar examines the linguistic practices of ten families who speak both German and Polish, and shows how their connection to the German-Polish border influences their language use. This topic is particularly relevant at a time when migration and multilingualism are playing an increasingly important role in society.

The idea for the book came about at the end of Maar's studies, when she began to deal more intensively with multilingualism in Brandenburg. To determine the factors that influence families' language choices, she conducted extensive interviews, including many original quotes. Unlike many other works in this area, Maar focuses on the specific situation of German-Polish multilingual families, which means her book fills an important gap in research on family language policy. The publication is designed as open access so that a wide audience has access to the results.

Technical background and meaning

Verena Maar studied German linguistics with a focus on German as a foreign and second language and completed her academic career with a dissertation that was published under the same title as her book. Her dissertation, which was published by the Potsdam University Press in 2024, deals with similar topics with a more comprehensive scientific approach. It comprises 276 pages and deals with family language policy and multilingualism in the border region between Brandenburg and Poland, using a nexus analysis.

Research on multilingualism increasingly shows that linguistic practices in migrant families are often complex and multi-layered. An article about multilingualism in the “target language German” emphasizes that supporting multilingual students at school is crucial for their educational success. In this context, Maar's book is particularly valuable as it provides insight into the everyday language practices of migrant families.

Positive experiences and outlook

Maar describes the work on her book as predominantly positive. She describes the transformation of ideas into a tangible product as fulfilling, while the revision phases were challenging. In addition to her academic career, she has a great interest in a wide range of literature, from daily newspapers to non-fiction books and novels. This love of literature is also reflected in her free time, where she often reads books for her children.

Maar's book is particularly recommended for educators who work with multilingual children. The findings from their research could provide important information on how linguistic diversity can be promoted in order to meet the challenges of today's multilingual society. The study also raises questions about the social and cultural dynamics that arise from migration and multilingualism, and thus contributes to the current discussion about educational equity and inclusion.