Aspects Of Language Policy Research Articles

Lexical Interference of Russian and Karelian in the Diachronic Aspect of Language Policy

Introduction. At the moment the territory of the Russian Federation comprises 138 endangered languages, which determines the relevance of studying the influence of the state’s language policy on the development of the Karelian language. The purpose of the study is to analyze the way language contacts influenced Karelian. The novelty of the study lies in the consideration of linguistic interference in the historical context.Methodology and sources. The study is conducted using the publications in Karelian of the pre-Soviet and Soviet periods, as well as articles from modern electronic periodicals. The research material was broadened by interviewing several informants. The data was collected and analyzed using the method of continuous sampling, questioning, participant observation, and comparative analysis. The theoretical basis of the research is the social typology of languages and the typology of language situations.Results and discussion. Different historical periods ended in changing Karelian in different ways and making it adopt some features of Finnish, Vepsian and Russian. The texts of the pre-Soviet period show that lexical units of Russian origin denote everyday realities or religious concepts. The Soviet period texts demonstrate the maximum number of Russianbased lexical units, that are related to everyday life or Soviet ideology and realities. In the texts of the modern period, there is the least number of words of Russian origin, that are mostly borrowings that have long been a part of the language norm of Karelian.Conclusion. With the distinctive features relevant to the typology of language situations taken into account, the present language situation in the Republic of Karelia can be defined as multicomponent multilingual, being demographically out of equilibrium and communicatively unbalanced. In different historical periods Karelian was influenced, in varying degrees, by Russian; this is clearly reflected in the vocabulary. Nowadays professional and amateur activists striving to revitalize the Karelian language are oriented mainly towards its Baltic-Finnish basis.

Polityka językowa i tożsamość kulturowa mniejszości

The text aims to draw attention to the language policy involved in the processes of constructing the cultural identity of minorities. Discussion focuses on the two basic dichotomies of assimilationism-isolationism and empowerment-objectification and indicates selected aspects of language policy and educational practices in France, China and Israel.

Legislation on language policy in Komi and Sakha (Yakutia) Republics of the Russian Federation

ABSTRACT The article in question is dedicated to the analysis of how legal instruments shape language policy on preserving and developing the languages of title ethnic groups (ethnos) of the territories having the republican status – the Komi Republic and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The main aspect of analysis is language management implementation on both state and local levels. Thus, the federal- and regional-level legislation on language policy in the Komi Republic and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) has been thoroughly studied. Bernard Spolsky’s approach to understanding the constitutive aspects of language policy is taken as a theoretical ground. The authors exploited statistical data of the All-Union Census of 1989 and of the All-Russia Census of 2010 to trace both the development dynamics of the language situation in the above-mentioned regions and the results of language management implementation. It has been revealed as a result that legal framework of language management underwent considerable changes in mechanisms of its implementation. These changes ensured some positive implications for the languages development of the analysed title ethnic groups. The most conspicuous positive developments are there in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The language management here finds its expression in the well-balanced policy aimed at strengthening the state languages – the Russian languages and the Yakut language – on basis of their equality. Yet, the legal framework of language management requires further refining, especially when it comes to clear distinction of legal status and powers of the Russian language and title ethnic languages of the republics under analysis.

MASS POLL AS THE MAIN LANGUAGE SITUATION DIAGNOSING METHOD IN UKRAINIAN SCHOOLING

Introduction. The need to involve questions concerning quality and valuation parametersof linguistic situation in the material collection is caused by diglossic nature of bilingualismin schools in most parts of Ukraine, which is evident in the areas of the language use: Ukrainianin class, and Russian – during the breaks and after school activities. The language situationin a particular school, regardless of the status of language teaching, due to the configurationof the language situation in the region, which, however, is not included in statistical reports.That is shown in the survey carried out within the framework of Project No. 62700395 ofthe Volkswagen Foundation “Bi- and Multilingualism: between intensification and conflictresolution. Ethnolinguistic conflicts, linguistic politics and contact situations in post-SovietUkraine and Russia”, a system of questions was proposed concerning the real linguistic situation(perception of the linguistic environment, its assessment by the respondents) and its desirabledevelopment, that is, in the aspect of language policy in the field of education.Purpose. The paper focuses on the relevance of the language situation study in Ukrainianschooling using the mass poll methodology, due to mismatch of statistical data on the functioningof Ukrainian as the state language and the real facts of the language use in the secondaryschools. Methods. The research is grounded on the methods of sociolinguistics, that is quantitativeand qualitative analysis applying survey fieldwork and language boundary/difference perception.Results. The article specifies the sociolinguistic criteria on the basis of which theconclusion about changes in the linguistic situation in the field of school education in the periodfrom 2006 to 2017 is made, in particular the dynamics of the regional differences and quantitativedeformation inherited from the Soviet era in the “city – village” aspect are traced. In particular,questions aimed at data collection on the assessment of the society's linguistic situation inthe field of education were thoroughly analyzed. These questions made it possible to trace changesin linguistic behavior of respondents depending on the sphere of communication. Comparisonof responses in the regional dimension revealed the heterogeneity of the language situationin school education by region, and the analysis of the responses of different population centersresidents allowed to trace trends in overcoming the unevenness of linguistic developmentin the state in the “city – village” aspect. Providing respondents with questions that envisagedthe assessment of possible language policy in the field of school education, we sought to determinewhether this assessment depends on the peculiarities of the linguistic situation in the region, howcommon the stereotypical representations about the desired language education are, or whetherthe general political situation in the state affects perception and an assessment of the linguisticenvironment of educational institutions by the speakers. A separate question dealt with theprospects of bilingual education in Ukraine.Conclusions. The compulsory comparison of the results of several sociolinguistic pollswas emphasized to conclude on changes in the language guidelines for the desired perspectivesof language education and language policy measures in the field of school education.

The Tower of Babble: Mother Tongue and Multilingualism in India

The Tower of Babble: Mother Tongue and Multilingualism in India

Language Policy and Language Conflict in Afghanistan and Adjoining Areas

This review article discusses various aspects of language policy and language conflict observed in Afghanistan and its surroundings. It is mainly based upon the analysis of material presented in a collective volume recently edited by H. F. Schiffman.

Language Shifts in Case of Language Policy of Kazakhstan

This paper contains the description and analysis of some aspects of language policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The description of the main trends of national programmes of functioning and development of all languages spoken in Kazakhstan. The attention is paid to the practice of non-stop language education that should ensure the high level of official language awareness by every citizen of the Republic and preservation of all the linguistic richness of Kazakhstani society. The regulations of the Language Act where the guarantee of protection and state support of all the languages spoken in the Republic are depicted in details in order to preserve the various ethnic cultures and languages within the territory, including the English. The descriptive characteristics of of language vitality of nations oft he country gives the opportunity to present the significance and importance of any language of Kazakhstani society. At the present the general conceptual basis oft he lanuage development in Kazakhstan is «National Programme of Language Functioning and Development: 2011-2020» [1], which is considered to be realized within 10 years. The main purpose oft he give programme is to extend and strengthen the social-communicative functions of the official language of the Republic, to preserve the general cultural functions of the Russian language, to develop the other languages spoken in Kazakhstan, to facilitate in the development of the English and other foreign languages. The cultural project of the country about language trinity is the new branch in language policy and finds the functional reflection in national standards of education of the country. Language education concepts reflect the world experience in the context of education, i.e. the acception of the unique national standardization on level structures and subject contents – 6 levels of language awareness (Kazakh, Russian and foreign language) taking into account «General European Standards of Language Competence». In conclusion of the paper the results of the analysis of some aspects of language policy and national programme planning are presented. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n8p653

Discussion: towards an educational perspective in CLIL language policy and pedagogical practice

This issue includes eight studies on different aspects of language policy, pedagogical practices, and teacher training in school contexts where a foreign language is used to teach curricular conten...

Irańska polityka językowa: przypadek puryzmu językowego

The aim of this article is to describe Iranian language policy from its officially recognized birth in the XVIII century up to today. It will focus on one particular aspect of language policy ‐ linguistic purism. Firstly, the concept of vatan ‘Iranian nationalism’ will be defined. This article will try to explain the role of nationalism in Iranian language policy as well as its direct relations with purism. Then, the history of Iranian puristic movement will be addressed. It is divided into two separate periods on the basis of different elements that were considered unwanted. Therefore, the period before and after the Islamic Revolution of 1979 will be analyzed separately. Finally, certain conclusions will be drawn.

Die Pan-Suid-Afrikaanse Taalraad en die regulering van taalsigbaarheid in Suid-Afrika – 'n ontleding van taalregteklagtes

The Pan South African Language Board and the regulation of language visibility in South Africa—an analysis of language rights complaints. The regulation of language visibility on public signs, i.e. of the linguistic landscape, comprises an important aspect of language policy in multilingual societies. If it is argued that the language clause of the South African Constitution envisages a multilingual landscape, concrete language policy guidelines regarding such language visibility are indispensable. Due to the acute shortage of such guidelines, Pansalb's findings on complaints about language visibility could play an important role in addressing this shortcoming. The Board is mandated to provide advice, specifically on language policy. Pansalb's own language policy guidelines also lack provisions on the linguistic landscape. The Board's gazetted findings concerning language rights complaints thus constitute an important source for studying language policy. This article provides an analysis of complaints regarding language visibility on which the Board made important findings between 1997 and 2006. The analysis is conducted against the background of theoretical insights pertaining to the linguistic landscape as a field of enquiry within sociolinguistics. Deductions are based on policy principles that could contribute towards overt policy regarding the treatment of language visibility on public signs in South Africa. Opsomming Die regulering van taalsigbaarheid by openbare tekens, met ander woorde van die linguistiese landskap, vorm ‘n belangrike aspek van taalbeleid in meertalige samelewings. Indien geredeneer word dat die taalklousule van die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet ‘n meertalige linguistiese landskap in die vooruitsig stel, soos sommige Suid-Afrikaanse geleerdes inderdaad doen, is konkrete taalbeleidsriglyne vir die hantering van taalsigbaarheid by openbare tekens onontbeerlik. Gesien die huidige nypende tekort aan sodanige riglyne, kan die Pan-Suid-Afrikaanse Taalraad (Pansat) se bevindinge oor taalklagtes wat met taalsigbaarheid verband hou ‘n belangrike leemte vul. Pansat se wetlike mandaat maak juis voorsiening dat die instansie advies oor taalbeleidsaangeleenthede kan gee. Die instansie se eie taalbeleidsriglyne bevat ook nie bepalings oor die linguistiese landskap nie. Pansat se Staatskoerant-gepubliseerde bevindinge oor taalregteklagtes vorm dus ‘n belangrike bron van ondersoek na taalbeleid. In hierdie artikel word ‘n analise gemaak van ‘n stel taalregteklagtes waaroor die instansie tussen 1997 en 2006 belangrike bevindinge oor taalsigbaarheid gemaak het. Die analise word gemaak teen die agtergrond van teoretiese insigte in die linguistiese landskap as ondersoekterrein binne die sosiolinguistiek. Op grond van hierdie analise word dan beleidsbeginsels afgelei wat kan bydra tot die daarstel van overte beleid vir die hantering van taalsigbaarheid op openbare tekens in Suid-Afrika.

LANGUAGE POLICY AND PLANNING

The field of language policy and planning is clearly a sub-field within applied linguistics. It generally does not draw heavily on formal linguistics, except for aspects of corpus and status planning. However, it does draw extensively from a range of disciplines in order to plan, implement, and evaluate language policies that respond to the needs of stake holders of various types. Despite continuous development of the field, aspects of language policy and planning need to be developed further. One of the key areas where policy can be enhanced considerably is in the area of policy and planning evaluation. This direction of inquiry is also relevant to a number of other areas within applied linguistics.

Unity in Diversity: Aspects of Language Policy in the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia

Unity in Diversity: Aspects of Language Policy in the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia

National Policy on Languages: A Community Language Perspective

A brief historical review of language policies in Australia up to the publication of the Senate Standing Committee's Report on a National Language Policy in 1984 is given. The recommendations of the Report are discussed in the light of the ethno-cultural or core value significance that community languages have for many minority ethnic groups in Australia. Recent research findings on such languages are presented and their implications for a national language policy considered. It is postulated that the linguistic pluralism generated by the presence of community languages needs to be viewed in the context of a framework of values that includes English as the shared language for all Australians. From this perspective, it is argued that the stress that the Senate Committee Report places upon the centrality of English in Australia should be balanced by greater recognition of the linguistic rights of minorities and their implications for bilingual education. It is pointed out that both these aspects of language policy have been given prominence in recent statements and guidelines released by the Ministers of Education in Victoria and South Australia. The paper concludes by pointing to the growing interest in the teaching of languages other than English to all children in Australian schools.

Multilingualism in the Soviet Union: Aspects of Language Policy and Its Implementation. By E. Glyn Lewis. Contributions to the Sociology of Language, no. 3. The Hague and Paris: Mouton, 1972. xx, 332 pp. 62 Dglds., paper.

Multilingualism in the Soviet Union: Aspects of Language Policy and Its Implementation. By E. Glyn Lewis. Contributions to the Sociology of Language, no. 3. The Hague and Paris: Mouton, 1972. xx, 332 pp. 62 Dglds., paper.

Multilingualism in the Soviet Union: Aspects of Language Policy and Its Implementation

Multilingualism in the Soviet Union: Aspects of Language Policy and Its Implementation

Book reviews

E. Glyn Lewis, Multilingualistn in the Soviet Union: aspects of language policy and its implementation. The Hague and Paris: Mouton, 1971. xx+332pp. Dfl 62. L. G. Churchward, The Soviet Intelligentsia. An essay on the social structure and roles of Soviet intellectuals during the 196os. London and Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1973. xiii + 204 pp. £3.25. Galia Golan, Reform Rule in Czechoslovakia. The Dubcek Era 1968–1969. Cambridge: at the University Press, 1973. Vii + 327 pp. £5.80. $18.50. Otto Ulč, The Judge in a Communist State. A View from Within. Athens, Ohio: Ohio UP, 1972. xiv + 307 pp. $8.75. Robert M. Slusser, The Berlin Crisis of 1961: Soviet‐American relations and the struggle for power in the Kremlin, June‐November 1961. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins UP, 1973. xvi + 509 pp. $17.50. £7.90. Edward Taborsky, Communist Penetration of the Third World. New York: Robert Speller & Sons, 1973. iii + 500 pp. $12.50. Philip R. Pryde, Conservation in the Soviet Union. London: Cambridge UP, 1972. xv + 301 pp. £5.00. Marshall I. Goldman, The Spoils of Progress: Environmental Pollution in the Soviet Union. Cambridge, Mass, and London: The M.I.T. Press, 1972. xi + 372 pp. $7.95. £3.60. Robert H. McNeal, Bride of the Revolution. Krupskaya and Lenin. London: Victor Gollancz, 1973. 326 pp. £3.60. George Katkov et al. (eds.), Russia Enters the Twentieth Century 1894–1917. London: Methuen, 1973. 352 pp. £1.50 (paperback). Paul Craig Roberts and M. Stephenson, Marx's Theory of Exchange, Alienation and Crisis. Stanford, Calif.: Hoover Institution Press, 1973. 127 pp. $5.50. W. H. Parker, The Russians: How They Live and Work. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1973. 179 pp. £2.50. Wright Miller, Who are the Russians? A History of the Russian People. London: Faber & Faber, 1973. 240 pp. £3.95.