Language Planning & Policy

Presented by: Assala Mihoubi

Outline

•History of LPP•Why LPP•Definitions•Language Planning Principles •Stages of Language Planning•Levels of Language planning•Case study: Arabization in Algeria

History of language Planning and Policy

• Language planning and policy was revitalized again mostly after the newly independent states, in the post-colonial era, needed to reconstruct their identity (including language) in a context of multi-ethno-linguistic diverse populace.

For exemple:

• After Algeria got its independence, its leaders decide to follow a nationalistic model of nation-building.

• This model aims at making most community members alike. Sharing the same behaviours, thought patterns and certainly the same language.

Why LPP?

Language planning and policy come to solve many problems and conflicts in these states:

• Such as the multilingual geographical spread that may cause miscommunication between people of the same nation

• Which language (s) is/are going to be selected and standardized as the official language (s) of these states.

Definitions

• Language planning: all conscious (deliberate efforts) that aim at changing the linguistic behaviour (function, structure, or acquisition) of a certain speech community.

This planning is often associated with government planning, yet it can be done by NGO or individuals...

• Language Policy: A language policy is designed to favour or

discourage the use of particular language or set of languages.

It is done by the government officially through legislations and policies.

Such as: what Algeria did lately, promoting Tamazight as the second official language in the constitution, after it was only a national language.

Language Planning Principles:

1. Assimilation: This principle states that every person within

society should be fluent in that society’s dominant language.

For example: In the USA, the “Only-English Movement” maintains that everyone in the US should speak English well, regardless of their first language.

Though, the United States never had a legislation that explicitly declares that English is the official language, yet it is the language used in education, official setting... etc

2. Linguistic Pluralism

It is the opposite of assimilation.This principle teaches that it is better to have

multiple languages within society. For example: Switzerland with French, German, Italian and

Romansh (all as official languages)Singapore have English, Malay, Tamil and

Chinese as official languages

3. Vernacularization

It is a principle that wants to restore a native language into a commonly spoken language.

For example: Jews from around the world gathered in the so-called “Israel” and revived the Hebrew language with success!

4. Internationalization

• This principle promotes adopting a non-indigenous language in order to communicate easily with other nations.

• English now is considered to be global language, and is taught world wide.

Stages of Language Planning:

1.Selection: it refers to the choice of a language variety to fulfill certain functions in a given society.

2. Codification

• The creation of a linguistic standard or norm for a selected linguistic code. It is divided up into three stages:

1) Graphization – developing a writing system.2) Grammaticalization – deciding on

rules/norms of grammar3) Lexicalization – identifying the vocabulary

3. Implementation

• Promoting the previous stages (selection, codification) by making society more exposed to this language by:

The production of books, newspapers, education, administration... etc

4. Elaboration

The stylistic development of a codified language to meet the communicative demands of modern life and technology

Levels of Language Planning:

1. Status Planning: • Refers to the social and political position a

language will be assigned • This level is done by the government officials• It includes the “selection” and the

“implementation” stages

For example:

In Quebec, Canada, politicians have raised the status of French by ordering that signs must give French more prominence.

2. Corpus Planning

• Refers to changes or standardization of certain elements of the language.

E.g. Lexicon, orthography...This level includes “codification” and

“elaboration” And it is done by sociolinguist (linguists in

general)

3. Acquisition Planning

It is usually done by government officials or private organizations that control textbooks and dictionaries... Etc

For example: Irish officials ordered that Irish Gaelic must be taught/ used at least one hour of school every day.

Arabization in Algeria

• Arabization is a language policy that was adopted by The Algerian authorities after independence.

• It is a way for The Algerian political leaders to unify the nation under the Totalitarian regime of the one party.

• Houari Bomedian who was the real leader of the Arabization movement. • He imposed severe laws that promotes

the use of Arabic in the administration, education, official issues... Etc• He even enacted a policy that obliges

everyone who wishes to work in the public sector to pass an exam in the Arabic language اللغة إجادة اختبار.( (العربية

Stages of Arabization in Algeria

• Arabic, from a foreign language to a national language

• The Arab-Tamazight linguistic conflict • Lamin Zaroual and the reconsideration of

Tamazight as an axe of the National identity

• The current linguistic situation of Algeria

References : Simpson, J. (2011). The Routledge handbook of applied linguistics. Milton Park, Abingdon: Routledge.

BENRABAH, M. (2004). LANGUAGE AND POLITICS IN ALGERIA. Nationalism And Ethnic Politics, 10(1), 59-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13537110490450773

Wikipedia,. (2016). Language policy. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_policy

Aljazeera.net, 2016

U.S Library of Congress, (2016). Algeria - Arabization. Countrystudies.us. Retrieved from http://countrystudies.us/algeria/53.htm

wiseGEEK,. (2016). What Is Language Planning? (with picture). From http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-language-planning.htm

Questions are welcomed!