Language Variation and Urban Space: A Sociolinguistic Study of Immigrants in Naples (Italy)

Abstract

This study investigates interethnic variation in language behavior among three immigrant groups—Sri Lankans, Ukrainians, and Senegalese—residing in Naples, Italy. Drawing on sociolinguistic and macro-demographic frameworks, it explores the relationship between language practices and external variables such as residential patterns, occupational segregation, and intra-urban mobility. Using data collected through a sociolinguistic questionnaire administered within the HELLO CAMPANIA! project, the analysis combines qualitative insights and statistical methods (Chi-square, Cramér’s V, and Kruskal-Wallis tests) to assess self-reported language dominance, heritage language maintenance, and Italian language proficiency across a sample of 74 first-generation migrants.

Findings reveal statistically significant correlations between ethnic group and perceived Italian language proficiency, independent of length of residence in Italy. Ukrainians demonstrated the highest self-assessed Italian proficiency and the strongest shift toward the majority language, while Sri Lankans showed the highest rates of heritage language maintenance. These patterns are interpreted in light of different residential and social dynamics: Ukrainians are more spatially and socially mobile, Senegalese maintain strong intra-group networks within economically marginalized districts, and Sri Lankans exhibit high levels of spatial concentration and limited linguistic contact beyond their ethnic community.

The study also highlights the influence of neighborhood typology—standard-speaking affluent areas versus dialect-speaking disadvantaged districts—on language learning trajectories, as well as the impact of job type on daily linguistic exposure. These findings extend previous models of language maintenance and shift (e.g., Chini & Andorno, 2018) by situating them in the underexplored southern Italian urban context, and argue for a more nuanced understanding of language behavior as shaped by the intersection of spatial, social, and economic dimensions.