Language Revitalization and the Persistence of Mapudungun: A Review of Critical and Territory-based Perspectives

Abstract

Mapudungun is one of the Indigenous languages with the greatest presence in Chile and Argentina. Its current situation has been marked by a progressive language shift, evidenced by a significant decrease in domains of use and number of speakers, low social prestige, and a weakened in intergenerational transmission. This article presents a scopus review from a critical sociolinguistic perspective, analyzing the revitalization of Mapudungun in light of social hierarchies, power dynamics, and broader struggles for social justice and community self-determination. Since the 20th century, linguistic studies have predicted the imminent disappearance of Mapudungun. However, in the early decades of the 21st century, efforts toward language revitalization and strengthening have expanded across various fields. This is reflected in the growing number of studies addressing the revitalization of the Mapuche language. In the context of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, this panorama is relevant for understanding the diversity of issues addressed by these studies, their potential research gaps, and the various revitalization experiences.