In this paper, I will provide a layout of a demographic approach to the study of linguistic minorities (now in somewhat esoteric circles known as demolinguistics). After the specification of a conceptual framework, I will discuss the main analytical issues, particular data needs and research possibilities. On the basis of empirical results from Canada and Finland, I will illustrate the potential of the demolinguistic approach for the study of second‐language acquisition, language maintenance and shift pertaining to linguistic minorities. Finally, I will show how this approach can assist us in assessing the relative contributions of fertility, mortality, nuptiality, migration and language shift to the survival or decline of minority language communities.
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John de Vries (1990) studied this question.
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