scholarly journals Language and Ideology in the Context of Language Policy of Albanian Language

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shkumbin Munishi Prishtina

AbstractThis paper discusses the significantly tight relations which exist between ideology and language. It emphasizes that language and ideology are intertwined since ideology provides the framework within which a linguistic message is constructed and expressed. The influence of ideology is noted in language policy and language planning efforts since it enables actions taken by a certain social group to standardize a particular language. Another realm in which the influence of ideology becomes noticeable is the realm of discourse. Ideology is at best expressed through discourse structures. This type of ideological influence can be noticed in the case of Albanian language standardization process in which ideology served two functions: supporting the language policy and helping to build discourse rhetoric with which language policy was elaborated and promoted to the public within former Socialist Albania.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (260) ◽  
pp. 61-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Marie Guerrettaz

Abstract This study on Yucatec Maya language planning analyzes the linguistic standardization process over a six-year period. The primary research site was the programa, a mandatory Yucatec Maya course for 1,600 Indigenous Education teachers in Mexico. Alongside this acquisition planning effort, other government agencies simultaneously produced an official standard Maya. Programa administrators who oppose official standardization made their own model of Maya in widely distributed government textbooks. Neither model was the main target of programa language teaching; the Maya of classrooms is characterized by vast variation. Although the government promulgated an official standard in 2014, standardization of Maya has not been attained. The difficulties of creating a popular standard by and for Indigenous language speakers are analyzed. Social networks upholding different models of Maya are examined through an economy of language planning framework that views language as social capital and integrates knowledge and learning economy concepts. This research presents the notion of social-linguistic orders to understand how different models of a language coexist and/or compete in a language planning endeavor.


Multilingua ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anik Nandi

AbstractMacro-level policy makers, perceived as stakeholders of language management, employ a range of language policy strategies to legitimise hegemonic control over meso- (i.e. family) and micro- (i.e. individual) level language ideologies (Cassels-Johnson 2013). However, language policies of an individual are often difficult to detect because they are implicit, subtle, informal, and often hidden from the public eye, and therefore frequently overlooked by language policy researchers and policy makers. The primary focus of this study is to investigate how individual, as well as collective linguistic practices of Galician parents act as language governmentality (Foucault 1991) measures influencing their children’s language learning. Drawing from multiple ethnographic research tools, including observations, in-depth fieldwork interviews and focus group discussions with parents, this paper demonstrates that in Galicia’s language shift-induced shrinking Galician-speaker pool, pro-Galician parents can play an important role in the language revitalisation process. The goal is also to ascertain whether these parents’ grassroots level interrogation of the dominant Castilian discourse takes the form of bottom-up language policies.


1980 ◽  
Vol 48 ◽  
pp. 71-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selma K. Sonntag

Abstract The paper is an historical account of language planning and policy in Nepal, from the period of the first unification of Nepal in the 1700's up until the present day, with comments on possible future trends. Emphasis is placed on the period after 1951, when the Rana regime was first replaced by democratic experimentation and later by monarchal rule. The language policy of this post-1951 period is illustrated in the paper by co-ordinating government reports on the education system and development projects, newspaper articles, et cetera to the contemporary history of changes in government, of political party stands, and of Nepal's foreign policies. The author analyzes and comments on this co-ordination, demonstrating how language planning and policy formation is dependent on other political policies and events of the time. The two language policy controversies used as main examples in the paper are the Nepali-Hindi controversy, and to a lesser extent, the Nepali-Newari controversy. Explanations for the dominant role of these two controversies in an underdeveloped country with over forty languages are given.


Author(s):  
Elizabeth Lanza ◽  
Hirut Woldemariam

The linguistic landscape (henceforth LL) has proven to be a fruitful approach for investigating various societal dimensions of written language use in the public sphere. First introduced in the context of bilingual Canada as a gauge for measuring ethnolinguistic vitality, in the 21st century it is the focus of a thriving field of inquiry with its own conference series, an increasing number of publications, and an international journal dedicated exclusively to investigating language and other semiotic resources used in the public arena. The scholarship in this domain has centered on European and North American geographical sites; however, an increasingly voluminous share of studies addresses the LL of sites across the world through both books and articles. African contributions have added an important dimension to this knowledge base as southern multilingualisms bring into question the very concept of language in that speakers and writers draw on their rich linguistic repertoires, avoiding any compartmentalization or separation of what is traditionally conceived of as languages. The LL of Ethiopia has contributed to this growing base of empirical studies in the exploration of language policy issues, identity constructions, language contact, and the sociolinguistics of globalization. A new language policy of ethnic federalism was introduced to the country in the 1990s following a civil war and through a new constitution. This policy was set to recognize the various ethnolinguistic groups in the country and the official use of ethnic/regional languages to satisfy local political and educational needs. Through this, languages previously unwritten required a script in order for speakers to communicate in them in written texts. And many regions have chosen the Latin script above the Ethiopic script. Nonetheless, some languages remain invisible in the public sphere. These events create an exciting laboratory for studying the LL. Given the change of language policy since the late 20th century and the fast-growing economy of Ethiopia (one of the poorest countries on the continent) the manifest and increasingly visible display of languages in the LL provides an excellent lens for studying various sociolinguistic phenomena.


Literator ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Verhoef

Language attitudes towards Afrikaans - a reconnaisance from a theoretical point of viewThe main aim of this article is to investigate the language attitude issue from a viewpoint embedded in the theory of language planning. This study was initiated by the fact that, although the public debate regarding Afrikaans is articulated in a lively way, it seems as if it does not benefit the official status of the language. The statement that this hampering effect on Afrikaans is partially caused by negative language attitudes and a lack of language loyalty by the primary and secondary speech communities serves as point of departure for this article. By looking at language attitudes departing from a theoretical language planning framework, the investigator is enabled to derive scientifically clear conclusions regarding the language attitudes of speech communities. This article also discusses the different components of language attitudes in general and the methodology regarding the investigation of language attitudes. The second part of the article presents a brief discussion of language attitude studies undertaken in South Africa, especially those dealing with Afrikaans. The article concludes with the statement that language planners must give considerable attention to language attitudes and their influence on language planning efforts. When this problematic issue is ignored the outcome of language planning projects will show a low success rate. This is of particular importance for the survival of Afrikaans in the multilingual South African society.


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