Language endangerment provides an updated insight into the sociolinguistic phenomenon of language endangerment and subsequent potential loss of language diversity. The volume progresses organically, from a state-of-the-issue perspective on to more applied approaches. A description of both the signs and stages of language endangerment represents a smooth transition between the two spheres. Ethical and attitudinal aspects are taken into careful consideration, alternatively concerning researchers or speech communities under study. A key achievement of this book is found in the comprehensive picture of the aspects that eventually lead to specific idiosyncrasies within the language ecology sphere.

Both the formal features and the contents of this volume make it suitable and of potential interest for a diverse target audience, ranging from non-expert readers to researchers that may wish to obtain an up-to-date state of the issue. The book is headed by the contents, tables, and acknowledgments preliminary sections, with eleven chapters following immediately afterwards (including the introduction and the conclusion). Chapter structure tends to be contingent on their content and/or the perspective adopted in each case. Within each section, the authors systematically resort to multiple subsections. This enhances the pedagogical potential of the book, making it equally appropriate for the consultation of specific (sub)sections. Two sections serve as closure for each chapter, respectively providing a few discussion questions and highlighting suggestions for further reading, which may certainly become an asset in academic settings. Where necessary, illustrative case studies have been incorporated.

The introduction section provides a succinct, yet comprehensive approach to the presence of language endangerment in modern times. Chapter 2 reviews how language endangerment has been traditionally approached from the sociolinguistics field based on a range of popular scales (e.g. Fishman GIDS, Wurm). Chapter 3 highlights a range of—mostly ethical—issues that tend to arise while conducting fieldwork in a community. Chapter 4 approaches language identity and sociolinguistic attitudes from various perspectives (e.g. ethnicity, group membership), including some interesting insights into literature on the measurement of identity and attitudes. Chapter 5 discusses language learning processes, multilingualism, and sociolinguistic manifestations of languages (e.g. fluency). Chapter 6 focuses on the role that extralinguistic factors play over time with regards to language maintenance. Chapters 7 and 8 approach language policy and—broadly speaking—the relationships that are typically established between language and power. Chapter 9 provides strategies for the maintenance or revitalization of endangered languages (e.g. reclamation, renativization). Chapter 10 displays the wide range of methods as applied to sociolinguistic fieldwork (e.g. questionnaires, structured research tools).

Finally, the conclusion section touches on some of the topics reviewed and expands on some relevant digital resources (251–52) available to ‘sojourner’ and ‘parachute’ linguists alike (249–50). This last chapter is concluded by a pressing, yet optimistic call for action: ‘The urgent need to document endangered languages… is the major challenge facing linguistics and linguistic anthropology in the twenty-first century. Working for an extended period with a community is not for everyone, but it can be extremely rewarding, both personally and academically’ (252).