The Theory and Practice of Language Ideologies in Modern Societies: A Case Study

Abstract

One of the consequences of the neo-liberal ideology of language commodification, which emphasizes “economic logic, economic integration, professionalism, and effectiveness” (Budach et al., 2003, p. 610) is the changes imposed in the field of literacy and second language learning. From the cultural capital of an individual and community, language has become a commodifiable resource with its value on economic markets. In the process of language commodification, a higher value is assigned to the official language(s). This leads to devaluing the minority languages and to the unequal distribution of the languages that are used in public spaces of schools and other government institutions. The research reviewed for our case study demonstrates that language ideology of the state, which is based on language commodification and on monoglot “standard” (Silverstein, 1996) in defining the state’s social and pedagogical practices, does not promote social cohesion. On the contrary, this ideology informs discriminatory practices that privilege and legitimize the standard variety of the language of the majority over the minority languages, and one type of literacy over the other.