The Economics of Language: International Analyses (Routledge Studies in the Modern World Economy) - Hardcover

Chiswick, Barry R.; Miller, Paul W.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0415771811 ISBN 13: 9780415771818

Publisher: Routledge, 2007

Synopsis

Written by two internationally renowned experts in the field, this book explores the determinants of dominant language proficiency among immigrants and other linguistic minorities and the consequences of this proficiency for the labour market.

Using empirical material from a range of countries, including the USA, Canada, Australia and Bolivia, the authors develop a range of models of the determinants of dominant language proficiency and use econometric techniques to test them and estimate the magnitude of the effects.

This volume is an excellent resource for researchers and a fine reader for specialists in labour economics, linguistics as well as a number of other disciplines.

About this title

Review:

"Economics has too long omitted language, whether language in general or, as in the pathbreaking work of Chiswick and Miller, languages, plural:how a Greek migrant to Australia or a Polish migrant to America gets along by getting fluent. And linguistics too often omits the economics, provided here in lucid and cosmopolitan bulk. Chiswick and Miller ask how much language matters to immigrant lives. It matters a lot, though in surprising ways. The Economics of Language tells the story of the flight from Babel with theoretical depth and quantitative precision."

Deirdre McCloskey, Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Economics, English and History at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

'This book contains an impressive collection of essays on the Economics of Language. Barry Chiswick and Paul Miller have addressed a wide range of areas on both the determinants of language proficiency, and the consequences of language proficiency for labour market outcomes. They offer a broad and international perspective. The book provides careful and insightful analysis on issues relating to language and immigration and will be a great resource for researchers and graduate students working in this area.'

Professor Christian Dustmann, Department of Economics and Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM), University College London

'Barry Chiswick and Paul Miller have contributed greatly to an interdisciplinary understanding of the mechanisms, conditions, and consequences of language acquisition and the processes of migrant integration as a whole. Their work is a break-through in many respects.'

Professor Hartmut Esser, Department of Sociology, University of Mannheim 

'In The Economics of Language: International Analyses', Barry Chiswick and Paul Miller have put together their finest articles on the topic. The book is nicely organized around important topics. The theoretical foundations for their empirical work come out strongly reminding us that it is exposure, efficiency and economic incentives that matter for determining language acquisition. The book will prove of great value to researchers on language issues, showcasing in a most useful way the contribution of economists."

Harry Anthony Patrinos, PhD, Lead Education Economist, The World Bank, Washington, D.C.

 

'Barry Chiswick is one of the most enlightened and insightful economics researchers alive today. Together with his co-author, Paul Miller, he has discovered the enormous importance LANGUAGE plays on the map of socio-economics in terms of jobs, immigration patterns and advancement in immigrant receiving countries.This book is obligatory reading for all concerned with immigrant and the socio-economic aspects of language.'

Professor Adam Makkai, Professor of English and Linguistics University of Illinois at Chicago Foundation Executive Director of LACUS, The Linguistic Association of Canada and the United States.

'Economics has too long omitted language, whether language in general or, as in the pathbreaking work of Chiswick and Miller, languages, plural:how a Greek migrant to Australia or a Polish migrant to America gets along by getting fluent. And linguistics too often omits the economics, provided here in lucid and cosmopolitan bulk. Chiswick and Miller ask how much language matters to immigrant lives. It matters a lot, though in surprising ways. The Economics of Language tells the story of the flight from Babel with theoretical depth and quantitative precision.'

Deirdre McCloskey, Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Economics, English and History at the University of Illinois at Chicago

'Chiswick and Miller’s analyses of the economic importance of acquiring second languages are striking. In an increasingly interconnected world, such empirical studies as these reveal the significant impact of linguistic capital on economic advancement, and they underscore how important both education and literacy are in socioeconomic mobility.' - Marcia Farr, Professor of Education, College of Education and Human Ecology Adjunct Professor, Department of English The Ohio State University

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0415771811
• ISBN 13: 9780415771818
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 598