This article outlines the approach of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities to matters related to the use of language, assessing its consistency. Language is a major identity marker and as such can become a contentious issue in multi-ethnic societies. Questions revolving around the use of language can catalyse fights around distribution of power within States. They can also become a source of conflict and tensions between States, requiring the attention of international organizations such as the OSCE. Conversely, sound language policies can be instrumental in defusing tensions and strengthen the cohesion of diverse societies. Since its inception thirty years ago, the HCNM has devised a framework for developing balanced language policies as an instrument for conflict prevention. In the HCNM experience, the promotion and use of minority languages needs to be balanced by the adoption and promotion of one or more official languages. The article argues that the HCNM approach relies on the ‘positive’ securitization of linguistic rights, and proves that through its thematic recommendations the HCNM has embarked on a mission of addressing languages and minorities through inclusion and integration, as an approach to build a win-win model of global and regional security.
{"title":"Language policies as a conflict prevention tool","authors":"A. Rotta, Slava Balan","doi":"10.1075/lplp.00092.rot","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00092.rot","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000This article outlines the approach of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities to matters related to the use of language, assessing its consistency. Language is a major identity marker and as such can become a contentious issue in multi-ethnic societies. Questions revolving around the use of language can catalyse fights around distribution of power within States. They can also become a source of conflict and tensions between States, requiring the attention of international organizations such as the OSCE. Conversely, sound language policies can be instrumental in defusing tensions and strengthen the cohesion of diverse societies. Since its inception thirty years ago, the HCNM has devised a framework for developing balanced language policies as an instrument for conflict prevention. In the HCNM experience, the promotion and use of minority languages needs to be balanced by the adoption and promotion of one or more official languages. The article argues that the HCNM approach relies on the ‘positive’ securitization of linguistic rights, and proves that through its thematic recommendations the HCNM has embarked on a mission of addressing languages and minorities through inclusion and integration, as an approach to build a win-win model of global and regional security.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42108304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
With the break-up of Yugoslavia, and following the ideology of nationalism and the aspired match between state, nation, and language, Serbo-Croatian fragmented into four languages: Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, and Serbian. The paper deals with the legal aspects of the fragmentation of Serbo-Croatian in the four countries concerned, exploring the impacts of provisions relating to the official language on the status of the languages in question and their speakers. The central argument is that by fully ignoring mutual intelligibility (or even the same linguistic foundation) between the four languages, the legal provisions are inadequate to deal with this specific linguistic situation; in essence, they are intolerant and exclusive (thus underpinning ethnic divisions in the region), and they also lead to some trivial situations such as ‘translation’ in official communications. The paper pleads for a more sophisticated approach, which while acknowledging the symbolic aspects of language and existing ethnic diversity, at the same time is able to accommodate the linguistic reality.
{"title":"The legal status of languages / ‘languages’ that emerged from Serbo-Croatian","authors":"L. Djordjević","doi":"10.1075/lplp.00090.djo","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00090.djo","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 With the break-up of Yugoslavia, and following the ideology of nationalism and the aspired match between state,\u0000 nation, and language, Serbo-Croatian fragmented into four languages: Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, and Serbian. The paper deals\u0000 with the legal aspects of the fragmentation of Serbo-Croatian in the four countries concerned, exploring the impacts of provisions\u0000 relating to the official language on the status of the languages in question and their speakers. The central argument is that by\u0000 fully ignoring mutual intelligibility (or even the same linguistic foundation) between the four languages, the legal provisions\u0000 are inadequate to deal with this specific linguistic situation; in essence, they are intolerant and exclusive (thus underpinning\u0000 ethnic divisions in the region), and they also lead to some trivial situations such as ‘translation’ in official communications.\u0000 The paper pleads for a more sophisticated approach, which while acknowledging the symbolic aspects of language and existing ethnic\u0000 diversity, at the same time is able to accommodate the linguistic reality.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46027739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal multilingualism is an essential aspect of political communication. This applies in particular to the management of security issues and language conflicts in multilingual states. As this article demonstrates, these processes of securitization set in much earlier than just in situations of open conflict. They can lead to a spiral of competitive securitization. It is therefore surprising that so far hardly any theoretical considerations have been made to explore the intersection between conflict dynamics, securitization processes and multilingualism. This article therefore examines this theoretical gap and identifies questions and requirements for future theoretical work. The aim is to open new avenues for studying multilingualism through the prism of securitization and conflict theory.
{"title":"Language conflicts and securitization in multilingual societies","authors":"P. Haslinger","doi":"10.1075/lplp.00088.has","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00088.has","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Societal multilingualism is an essential aspect of political communication. This applies in particular to the management\u0000 of security issues and language conflicts in multilingual states. As this article demonstrates, these processes of securitization set in\u0000 much earlier than just in situations of open conflict. They can lead to a spiral of competitive securitization. It is therefore\u0000 surprising that so far hardly any theoretical considerations have been made to explore the intersection between conflict dynamics,\u0000 securitization processes and multilingualism. This article therefore examines this theoretical gap and identifies questions and requirements\u0000 for future theoretical work. The aim is to open new avenues for studying multilingualism through the prism of securitization and conflict\u0000 theory.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44438426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Review of Lian (2020): Language, Ideology and Sociopolitical Change in the Arabic-speaking World: A study of the discourse of Arabic language academies","authors":"Mariam Aboelezz","doi":"10.1075/lplp.00095.abo","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00095.abo","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46722277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As the most populous African nation, with one of the most diverse, and problematic, ethnolinguistic profiles in the world, Nigeria provides a case study for the potential introduction of indigenous languages in (higher) education delivery in once colonised territories. We argue that increased enrolment in higher education will become necessary for Nigeria to attain its developmental goals. We then discuss the limits to what the Nigerian educational system can be expected to achieve using English as the medium of instruction. Once these limits are surpassed, the gradual addition of a limited number of Nigerian languages will become inevitable. We propose to make use of a distinction between languages as designed (or intellectualized) and languages as discerned, inspired by the terminology of ‘Ausbau’ and ‘Abstand’ languages as used by Kloss. The article briefly reviews the complex linguistic makeup of Nigeria and outlines a number of principles that could guide rational language choices in this area, such as ease of acquisition and inclusivity. It ends with suggesting a number of concrete steps that should be taken over the coming years in order to make the introduction of indigenous languages into higher education in Nigeria a practical possibility.
{"title":"Issues in introducing indigenous languages in higher education in Africa","authors":"T. Oloruntoba-Oju, B. van Pinxteren","doi":"10.1075/lplp.22005.olo","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.22005.olo","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 As the most populous African nation, with one of the most diverse, and problematic, ethnolinguistic profiles in\u0000 the world, Nigeria provides a case study for the potential introduction of indigenous languages in (higher) education delivery in\u0000 once colonised territories. We argue that increased enrolment in higher education will become necessary for Nigeria to attain its\u0000 developmental goals. We then discuss the limits to what the Nigerian educational system can be expected to achieve using English\u0000 as the medium of instruction. Once these limits are surpassed, the gradual addition of a limited number of Nigerian languages will\u0000 become inevitable. We propose to make use of a distinction between languages as designed (or intellectualized) and languages as\u0000 discerned, inspired by the terminology of ‘Ausbau’ and ‘Abstand’ languages as used by Kloss. The article briefly reviews the\u0000 complex linguistic makeup of Nigeria and outlines a number of principles that could guide rational language choices in this area,\u0000 such as ease of acquisition and inclusivity. It ends with suggesting a number of concrete steps that should be taken over the\u0000 coming years in order to make the introduction of indigenous languages into higher education in Nigeria a practical possibility.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48245278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The paper opens with a brief overview of the reasons behind the decline of the Breton language in the mid-19th to early 20th Centuries in order to contextualise on-going revitalisation efforts that began in earnest in the 1980s. The discussion then turns to a theoretical review of the literature concerning the key role that translation has been shown to play within the framework of language planning for minority languages within the complementary fields of Polysystems Theory and the Sociology of Translation, arguing that the related yet considerably under-researched field of interpreting can also make a significant contribution to language planning and revitalisation by heightening visibility and symbolic prestige. Finally, the paper presents the results of a limited yet revelatory survey of the main interpreters active in the field in order to shed light on key aspects of the current state of the emerging phenomenon of Breton language interpreting (including interpreter profiles, training, directionality, modalities, voluntary vs. paid work, the clientele, etc.) and their implications with a view to gauging its potential impact for language planning and possible directions for the future.
{"title":"Interpreting as a part of language planning","authors":"R. Baxter","doi":"10.1075/lplp.22012.bax","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.22012.bax","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The paper opens with a brief overview of the reasons behind the decline of the Breton language in the mid-19th to\u0000 early 20th Centuries in order to contextualise on-going revitalisation efforts that began in earnest in the 1980s. The discussion\u0000 then turns to a theoretical review of the literature concerning the key role that translation has been shown to play within the\u0000 framework of language planning for minority languages within the complementary fields of Polysystems Theory and the Sociology of\u0000 Translation, arguing that the related yet considerably under-researched field of interpreting can also make a significant\u0000 contribution to language planning and revitalisation by heightening visibility and symbolic prestige. Finally, the paper presents\u0000 the results of a limited yet revelatory survey of the main interpreters active in the field in order to shed light on key aspects\u0000 of the current state of the emerging phenomenon of Breton language interpreting (including interpreter profiles, training,\u0000 directionality, modalities, voluntary vs. paid work, the clientele, etc.) and their implications with a view to gauging its\u0000 potential impact for language planning and possible directions for the future.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42494636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article focuses on the advocacy of social justice through the implementation of language policies in South African universities. Noting the multilingual complexity of South Africa with 111 official languages and the intricacies surrounding South Africa’s political and sociocultural borders, the submission explores the advocacy of social justice in informing the reappraisal and the ensuing implementation of such a language policy by exploring constitutive dimensions (specifically identity) and instrumental dimensions (non-identity/functional aspects) from a linguistic justice perspective. The institution used as a case study is the North-West University (NWU) which is a by-product of three campuses that were merged in 2004. The authors use survey data eliciting opinions about revising the institution’s language policy. Central to the analysis is how linguistic justice could be exercised in consideration of constitutive vs instrumental dimensions based on the work of De Schutter (2007). With 20, 000 responses, the authors used a qualitative analysis, supplemented by frequencies, to tease apart identity and non-identity aspects to determine which of these had a closer relationship with linguistic justice and the selected institution’s language policy. The results of this study aim to offer insight into future revisions of higher education language policies in order to fulfil the mandate of linguistic justice.
{"title":"Between two fires","authors":"Natasha Ravyse, Adriana J. M. van Zyl","doi":"10.1075/lplp.21053.rav","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.21053.rav","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000This article focuses on the advocacy of social justice through the implementation of language policies in South African universities. Noting the multilingual complexity of South Africa with 111 official languages and the intricacies surrounding South Africa’s political and sociocultural borders, the submission explores the advocacy of social justice in informing the reappraisal and the ensuing implementation of such a language policy by exploring constitutive dimensions (specifically identity) and instrumental dimensions (non-identity/functional aspects) from a linguistic justice perspective. The institution used as a case study is the North-West University (NWU) which is a by-product of three campuses that were merged in 2004. The authors use survey data eliciting opinions about revising the institution’s language policy. Central to the analysis is how linguistic justice could be exercised in consideration of constitutive vs instrumental dimensions based on the work of De Schutter (2007). With 20, 000 responses, the authors used a qualitative analysis, supplemented by frequencies, to tease apart identity and non-identity aspects to determine which of these had a closer relationship with linguistic justice and the selected institution’s language policy. The results of this study aim to offer insight into future revisions of higher education language policies in order to fulfil the mandate of linguistic justice.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58939449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Review of Ricento (2021): Refugees in Canada: On the loss of social and cultural capital","authors":"Nasim Omidian Sijani","doi":"10.1075/lplp.00096.omi","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00096.omi","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42996940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Review of McLeod (2020): Gaelic in Scotland: Policies, Movements and Ideologies","authors":"C. Smith-Christmas","doi":"10.1075/lplp.00094.smi","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00094.smi","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42542782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In a world of increasing globalisation, governments, including Canada, face ongoing challenges in their efforts to integrate immigrant languages and to communicate with their users in public service settings. By exploring the translation policy in health care settings in Ontario, Canada, this research investigates how immigrant language barriers in health care access are addressed there, and probes into ideologies around the issue of immigrant language integration. Ontarian translation policy in health care settings is pragmatic yet cautious and laissez-faire. It indicates inclusiveness to accommodate immigrants; but it also reveals considerable tensions and hesitations. The belief that translation is a necessary measure to secure immigrants’ equal health care rights has been largely overridden at the regional and institutional level in Ontario, hindering further planning and more effective provision. The inadequate value designated to translation in terms of immigrant integration by government authorities, the ambiguous and ambivalent stances of Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network and some hospitals on translation provision against budgetary concern and the expectation for linguistic homogeneity all play roles in determining the flexibility and fluctuation of translation policy in health care settings in Ontario.
{"title":"Translation policy in health care settings in Ontario","authors":"Wan-Hsian Wang","doi":"10.1075/lplp.21049.wan","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.21049.wan","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 In a world of increasing globalisation, governments, including Canada, face ongoing challenges in their efforts to\u0000 integrate immigrant languages and to communicate with their users in public service settings. By exploring the translation policy\u0000 in health care settings in Ontario, Canada, this research investigates how immigrant language barriers in health care access are\u0000 addressed there, and probes into ideologies around the issue of immigrant language integration. Ontarian translation policy in\u0000 health care settings is pragmatic yet cautious and laissez-faire. It indicates inclusiveness to accommodate immigrants; but it\u0000 also reveals considerable tensions and hesitations. The belief that translation is a necessary measure to secure immigrants’ equal\u0000 health care rights has been largely overridden at the regional and institutional level in Ontario, hindering further planning and\u0000 more effective provision. The inadequate value designated to translation in terms of immigrant integration by government\u0000 authorities, the ambiguous and ambivalent stances of Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network and some hospitals on\u0000 translation provision against budgetary concern and the expectation for linguistic homogeneity all play roles in determining the\u0000 flexibility and fluctuation of translation policy in health care settings in Ontario.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44852841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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