Ethnicity is a dynamic social phenomenon that defines itself through interactions with others in different situations (Jenkins, 1996). Ethnic identity is sustained by shared objective characteristics such as language, religion, by more subjective contributions or by some combination of both [1].

Language can be a robust marker of social identity, capable of binding and dividing groups or may displace other (e.g. ethnic or religious) identities. In such situations, a group's original language need not remain as an objective marker of identity, language shift is common, and language as a key feature in identity is demoted to a symbolic feature or replaced entirely with other cultural features.

The choice of ethnic identity is particularly relevant for Russian Arctic, which is a multi-ethnic region in whose territory has been for many centuries is inhabited by several indigenous peoples in conditions of ethno-cultural and political domination of the Russian language.

Language rights are endowed with all the nations, but their significance is the most important for indigenous peoples in a multi-ethnic societies, minority languages are in danger of eventual extinction, which in fact leads to the loss of ethnic identity of their speakers. Changes in the socio-political, economic and spiritual aspects of life transforming Russia into the post-Soviet period contributed to the mainstreaming of national and cultural factors in the context of that language is not only a priority feature of ethnic identity, but also as an essential condition for the consolidation of ethnic groups in a multicultural society.

In this context, a language may be important to a ethnic group at a symbolic level. For instance, individuals may collectively lay claim to a language, which they themselves do not speak natively, in order to assert a symbolic identity which will differentiate them from others.  Although only a minority of the population actually speak their native language, it can be used as a symbol of uniqueness and differentiation from others in their ethnic group.

Research of sociolinguistic characteristics and features of the formation of linguistic identity of the peoples of Arctic, who historically living in the borderland area of civilizations, is one of the important socio-cultural comparative study of civilizations and cultural identity. The most promising is ethno-cultural approach, developed by interdisciplinary research scientists from different disciplines in the study of theoretical issues of ethnicity, ethnic relations, ethno-linguistic processes in contemporary Arctic Russia.

The study of language as a key marker of ethnic identity and polylingualism as a characteristic feature of sociolinguistic behavior of people, who living in the borderland area of civilizations can be used to optimize the ethno-linguistic contacts in multi-ethnic regions to promote awareness of the linguistic situation of the peoples of the Arctic. The discourse of linguistic construction meant by a need for continuous monitoring of the changing socio-linguistic situation and the nature of language relations, the rise of national consciousness, values and language competence of various socio-cultural groups of native speakers..

Identity processes may explain both group-based and individual-based decisions to adopt or to reject languages; the overarching search for a positive social identity seems to underlie these decisions.

Polylingualism is a characteristic feature of sociolinguistic behavior of representatives of  indigenous peoples of the Arctic, who living in the borderland area of civilizations that have a significant influence on the formation of their ethnic and cultural identity. Polylingualism as a phenomenon is born as a result of the interaction and fusion of two or more genetically unrelated linguistic communities, and may be the result of transcultural interactions.

Polylingualism provides intercultural competence in understanding of others and awareness of their own culture and develop an individual's ability to appropriate communicative behavior in polylingvistic cultural environment. From this point of view, Russian Arctic, as the space of ethno-political, socio-cultural and economic interactions of many ethnic groups, is of great research interest.

2. Jaspal, Rusi. Language and social identity:A psychosocial approach // Psych-Talk – September, 2009 – Pp. 17-20.

3. Jenkins, Richard 1996. Social Identity. London: New York.

4. Vakhtin, N.B. Sociolinguistics and sociology of language. Saint Petersburg, Humanity. Acad., 2004. 335 p.