The Link Between Subaltern and Global Identities and Expectations of Immigrants’ Linguistic Acculturation: The Role of Perceived Linguistic Threat and Deprovincialization

Intercultural exchange in diglossic societies, where languages coexist in an asymmetrical position, poses challenges for linguistic acculturation, determined by identity and power dynamics. This research examines how subaltern and global identification influences host culture members’ expectations of immigrants’ linguistic acculturation, specifically the adoption of the local minoritized language in diglossic contexts and the maintenance of the original languages of immigrant communities. We explore the mediating roles of perceived linguistic threat and deprovincialization. Using two quasi-representative samples ( N = 589 in the Basque Country and N = 526 in Catalonia) and correlational analysis, results showed: (1) a positive relationship between subaltern identification and expectations of adopting the local minoritized language, mediated by linguistic threat in the Basque Country, but not in Catalonia; (2) a positive relationship between subaltern identification and expectations of linguistic maintenance, mediated by deprovincialization in the Basque Country, but not in Catalonia; (3) a positive association between global identification and expectations of linguistic maintenance through deprovincialization. Our findings contribute to the theoretical debate on identity, power, and acculturation, while providing insights for developing policies that promote linguistic inclusion and address concerns about language preservation in bilingual societies.