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Abstract
The present paper investigates the relationship between objective ethnolinguistic vitality, individual networks of linguistic contacts (INLCs) and perceived vitality among German-speaking (N = 415) and Italian-speaking (N = 379) adolescents in South Tyrol, Italy. Supporting our hypothesis, we found that INLC has a greater effect on perceived vitality in localities where the in-group made up a local majority than in localities where the in-group was in a minority position. However, this effect has only occurred for perceptions of out-group, not in-group vitality. Findings and implications are discussed.