Language island

A language island (a calque of German Sprachinsel; also language enclave, language pocket) is an enclave of a language that is surrounded by one or more different languages. The term was introduced in 1847. Many of them also have a distinct culture.

Examples of language islands:
 * Alghero
 * Arbëresh
 * Betawi
 * Brussels
 * Chipilo and Chipilo Venetian dialect
 * Faetar
 * Gorani
 * Griko & Grecanico
 * Khalaj
 * Lusatia
 * Monégasque
 * Narada
 * Okuyoshino
 * Palenquero
 * Pennsylvania German
 * Saterland
 * Szeklerland
 * Swabian Turkey
 * Tamanic languages (culturally Dayaks)
 * Upper Harz
 * Yola
 * And within Sinitic:
 * Tianjinnese, a Central Mandarin variety surrounded by Northern varieties
 * Ganzhounese, a Southwestern Mandarin variety surrounded by Hakka in southern Jiangxi, being one of the many Junhua
 * Cantonese spoken in Sichuan Province
 * Hangzhounese, a Mandarinic variety surrounded by Northern Wu lects, caused by the change of capital during the Southern Song Dynasty
 * Zhongshan Min, a Southern Min language surrounded by Yue varieties, caused by migrants seeking shelter during the Song and Yuan Dynasties.

Gallery
 File:BelgieGemeenschappenkaart.svg|The predominantly French-speaking enclave of Brussels surrounded by Dutch-speaking area File:Romania harta etnica 2011.PNG|Language islands in Romania File:Лужицкие сербы на карте Германии.svg|Sorbian language area in Germany 