Abstract

This study describes a comprehensive interdisciplinary methodology of sociolinguistic field research through the example of a minority language of the Russian Federation, namely, the Karelian language in the national districts of the Republic of Karelia. The study also substantiates the interview method as the most relevant method for conducting this type of research.The methodology was developed to study the phenomenon of the need for minority languages from sociolinguistic and psychological perspectives. This need for minority languages is associated with the actors of language policy and glottopolitics, with the categories of language loyalty and prestige and with situations and areas of communication. The research instruments, primarily questionnaires and interview programs, were designed in such a way as to take into account and reveal the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of these categories. The study was aimed at ascertaining correlations between personality parameters, situation parameters, and language quality parameters.The study involves qualitative and quantitative methods. The questionnaire method was auxiliary to the interview method. It enabled the authors to generally assess the situation and the possible structure of the need for the language. The interview method provided direct access to the individual’s lifeworld, to his/her basic experiences, and values. The transcribed interview records were analyzed according to “grounded theory methodology.”