The Language Planning Situation in ...
The purpose of the polity studies reviews is to draw together in a systematic manner the sociolinguistic information in a language policy and planning context that is available for a variety of nations around the world. Over time, this will allow those interested in language to develop a thorough going and comparative perspective on language policy and planning in a worldwide context.
To develop this common perspective, the editors have developed a series of questions around which authors might frame parts of the manuscript. The response to each of the questions will need to reflect the varying degrees of complexity in the language situation in the particular country and the extent to which the questions are applicable. The whole manuscript should be no longer than 70 pages (35,000 words) including all footnotes and references. While the editors suggest that the questions that follow should be addressed, it is not our intent that authors should respond specifically to the questions, but rather that these issues should be integrated into the text. Examples of the way in which other authors have addressed the issues can be found in the 19 studies already published (Botswana, the Czech Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, the European Union, Fiji, Finland, Hungary, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Northern Ireland, Nigeria, Paraguay, The Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Tunisia and Vanuatu). The editors are not aware of any extensive nationally based descriptions of the language situation of the type we are suggesting be developed; hence the need for this series.
These guidelines may be downloaded as a .rtf file here.
Part I The Language Profile of ...
- Name and briefly describe the national/official language(s) (de jure or de facto);
- Name and describe the major minority language(s);
- Name and describe the lessor minority language(s) (include "dialects", pidgins, creoles and other important aspects of language variation); The definition of minority language / dialect / pidgin will need to be discussed in terms of the sociolinguistic context.
- Name and describe the major religious language(s); In some polities religious languages and/or missionary policies have had a major impact on the language situation and provide de facto language planning. In some contexts religion has been a vehicle for introducing exogenous languages while in other cases they have served to promote indigenous languages.
- Name and describe the major language(s) of literacy, assuming that it is /they are not one of those described above;
- Provide a table indicating the number of speakers of each of the above languages, what percentage of the population they constitute and whether those speakers are largely urban or rural;
- Where appropriate, provide a map(s) showing the distribution of speakers, key cities and other features referenced in the text;
Part II Language Spread
- Specify which languages are taught through the educational system, to whom they are taught, when they are taught and for how long they are taught;
- Discuss the objectives of language education and the methods of assessment to determine that the objectives are met;
- To the extent possible trace the historical development of the policies / practices identified in items 8 and 9 (may be integrated with 8/9);
- Name and discuss the major media language(s) and the distribution of media by socio-economic class, ethnic group, urban/rural distribution (include the historical context where possible);
- Is the development of 'local' literature supported - informally or through policy - especially literature in minority or non-wider communication languages.
- How has immigration effected language distribution and what measures are in place to cater for learning the national language(s) and/or to support the use of immigrant languages;
Part III Language Policy and Planning
- Describe any language planning legislation, policy or implementation which is currently in place;
- Describe any literacy planning legislation, policy or implementation that is currently in place;
- To the extent possible, trace the historical development of the policies /practices identified in items 13 and 14 (may be integrated with these items);
- Describe and discuss any language planning agencies operating in the polity (both formal and informal);
- Describe and discuss any regional/international influences affecting language planning and policy in the polity (include any external language promotion efforts);
- To the extent possible, trace the historical development of the policies /practices identified in items 16 and 17 (may be integrated with these items); (See items above)
Part IV: Language Maintenance and Prospects
- Describe and discuss intergenerational transmission of the major language(s) (is this changing over time?);
- Describe and discuss the probabilities of language death among any of the languages/language varieties in the polity; language revival efforts as well as any emerging pidgins or creoles;
- Add anything you wish to clarify about the language situation and its probable direction of change over the next generation or two.
- Add pertinent references/bibliography and any necessary appendices (e.g. a general plan of the educational system to clarify the answers to questions 8, 9 and 14).
