STATUS PRAWNY JĘZYKA KASZUBSKIEGO W POLSCE

Alina Szwajczuk

doi:10.14746/cl.2013.15.6

Abstract

The objective of the article is to delineate the present status of the Kashubian language. The analysis will be based on the 2007 reports compiled by the Council of Europe with reference to the commitments made by Poland concerning the implementation of the European Charter for Minority or Regional Languages. In particular, the analysis will cover the provisions defined in Part III thereof with regard to Kashubian. The paper will try to assess whether the privileged status given to the Kashubian language has triggered significant changes in the treatment of the language by the Polish government and Kashubians. Do the reports prove that the language policy towards regional and minority languages within the European Union is in fact state-based? Do legislative grounds correspond with the change of attitudes of both the authorities and Kashubians?

Highlights

Following Hornsby and Wicherkiewicz (2010, 1), the Polish legislation of 2005 concerning the minority rights has improved the sociolinguistic situation of Kashubian, while the ratification of the Charter for Minority or Regional Languages by Poland in 2009 strengthened the process of distinguishing the special role and position of the said language among other lesser-used languages in Poland
Most of them live in the Province of Pomerania in the north central region of Poland, which is referred to as the ‘Kashuby’ region. (Obracht-Prondzyński 2007, 8-9)
The report dated 7 December 2011 proves that the treatment of the regional language is state-based and that insufficient emphasis is put into the application of Kashubian as a specialist language

Summary

Introduction

Following Hornsby and Wicherkiewicz (2010, 1), the Polish legislation of 2005 concerning the minority rights has improved the sociolinguistic situation of Kashubian, while the ratification of the Charter for Minority or Regional Languages by Poland in 2009 strengthened the process of distinguishing the special role and position of the said language among other lesser-used languages in Poland. Applying the territorial aspect towards Kasubian by the Polish government, based on viewing Kashubia as a region, privileges the language and the speakers of the language within the national psyche. It assumes that Kashubian affiliation is within, not outside, the territory of Poland. Despite the fact that Kashubian has been granted the official status of a regional language, the inferiority complex and the idea of “Kashubianness’ still persist (Hornsby and Wicherkiewicz 2010, 3). The question that arises is whether the changes in the treatment of the language, through verifying its legal status, have changed much in preserving and cherishing the language as well as the perception of the language by Kashubians

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion