Language conflict and language shift: a sociolinguistic framework for linguistic human rights

Abstract

Based on ongoing research in an indigenous area of Mexico, this article will analyze how language conflict between Spanish and indigenous languages and minority language shift operate on the levels ofcultural models, discourse, and language use. It will show in which ways these processes affect linguistic human rights in two key areas of social organization: bilingual education and the administration of justice. This broad sociolinguistic perspective will allow the author to relate the Mexican experience to other cases, and to draft a list of minimal criteriafor the evaluation and defence of linguistic human rights. As a conclusion the article maintains that a sociolinguistic framework that broadens the concepts of language and communication underlying existing models for language planning will be best suited to describe language conflict situations, and to establish an adequate basisfor the definition and Implementation of linguistic human rights. Such a framework will have to take into account at least three levels of sociolinguistic analysis: (1) linguistic structure, (2) discourse structure, and (3) cultural models.