Final answer:
Assimilation refers to the process where a group adopts the attitudes and language of the dominant community. This can impact several aspects of the lives of minority groups, including their socioeconomic status and cultural identity. Language plays a vital role in both the oppression and empowerment of minority communities.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a group takes over the attitudes and language of the dominant community, they have engaged in assimilation. Assimilation describes the process by which a minority individual or group gives up its own identity by adopting the characteristics, including language and social practices, of the dominant culture. Language assimilation can often represent a barrier for immigrants, affecting their socioeconomic opportunities and integration into society. Furthermore, the use of language by dominant groups can act as a means to marginalize other groups based on various factors like class, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. Despite this, there are alternatives to complete assimilation, such as code-switching or language activism, which can preserve linguistic diversity and empower minority languages. Acculturation is the process by which individuals or groups from one cultural background come into contact with and adopt elements of another culture, often the dominant one. This process can involve changes in language, customs, behaviors, and attitudes as the individuals or groups integrate into the dominant culture.