EL 104
LESSON 3 - Language Programs and Policies in Multilingual Societies
Language Choice as the Core of Language Policy
According to Kaplan and Baldauf (1997)
"A language policy is a body of ideas, laws, regulations, rules and practices intended to achieve the
planned language change in the societies, group or system"
If there is language policy, there would be a language change.
5 Components of Language Policy
Ideas – carefully thought of many people
Regulations – there are certain steps to follow – it may differ from one are to another
Rule – it is something we should follow
Practices –language choice must be a practice for it to be a part of Language Policy
Laws – legislated by legislators; compelled to us
o we should follow it or there would be consequences of punishment if we will not follow
Language Choice
Language choice is when the speaker chooses what language to use in particular situation in
bilingual or multilingual communities
"Who speaks what language to whom and when" by Fishman.
FILIPINO and ENGLISH (official languages in the Philippines)
Cesar A. Hidalgo
government and institutional fiat
o it was decided by the legislators or the lawmakers
regional ethnocentrism and ethnic disidentify, and
o Filipino is part of our languages in the Philippines
trends in media language choices.”
o English was chosen because it became a trend here in the Philippines
Why is there language Policy?
Lo Bianco defines the field as “a situated activity, whose specific history and local
circumstances influence what is regarded as a language problem, and whose political
dynamics determine which language problems are given policy treatment”
What is the use of Language Policy?
McCarty (2011) defines language policy as "a complex sociocultural process [and as] modes of
human interaction, negotiation, and production mediated by relations of power. The ‘policy’ in
these processes resides in their language-regulating power; that is, the ways in which they
express normative claims about legitimate and illegitimate language forms and uses, thereby
governing language statuses and uses"
What is the purpose of Language Policy?
This refers to what a government does either officially through legislation, court decisions
or policy to determine how languages are used, cultivate language skills needed to meet
national priorities or to establish the rights of individuals or groups to use and maintain
languages.
It identifies us
It is also a means to an end of developing our own identity.
What is the role of Language Choice in Education?
At the center of the education system is the language policy in education which dictates the
language used in disseminating knowledge at varied levels.
Our language choice – English and Filipino – has a role therefore of uniting us into becoming productive
and promoting our own nationality, all the while going with the standard language, English, as it has
been inculcated not just in our minds but also in our books.
Imagine if we do not have those two as our medium of communication, what would be our classroom
setting? What would be our language in teaching and learning? What could be written in the books we
now hold?
Realizing the emptiness and void…
Our “Language Choice” is our “Core”
It gives us our sense of identity, power, ability, and without it we would be missing all of these –
our core.
Language Choice as the Core of Language Policy we now also see that Language Choice is the Core
of Language Policy.
Language choices is heavily dependent on the socio linguistic context such us location, participant
involves and the topic.
In choosing language, we are considering the topic – what are you talking about, the setting – where is the
conversating will take place, and the participant – who are you talking to.
Choosing language varies based on the domains. Language choice vary depending on the domains.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANGUAGE CHOICE AND LANGUAGE POLICY.
3 Types of Counties defined by Linguistic and Ethnic Complexity
Type 1 – Ethnolinguistically Homogeneous Countries
Composed of countries that are ethnolinguistically homogenous
These countries have linguistic minorities but are usually geographically or socially marginalized
Homogenous – Homo means 1
Type 2 – Dyadic or Triadic Countries
This includes countries with 2 or more ethnolinguistic groups that are equal in number and
power.
2 or 3 languages
Canada – speak French and English
Israel – Arabic and Hebrew
Belgium – Dutch, French and German
Type 3 – Mosaic Society or Multiethnic Space
This covers countries that have 5 or more ethnic groups.
5 or more languages
Serbia – world 5th most linguistically diver country
o 10 official languages
Moldova –
South Africa – 11 official languages
Zimbabwe – 16 official languages
Papua New Genuine – 839 languages (7 million population)
India – 22 major languages
Indonesia
Nigeria
Philippines – top 10 linguistically diverse countries in the world
