Language Planning ttps www slideshare netAyesha Afzal 11languageplanning90540342

Language Planning (ttps: //www. slideshare. net/Ayesha. Afzal 11/language-planning-90540342) It is defined as the development of policies or programs designed to direct or change language use, through the establishment of an official language. Language planning involves the creation and implementation of an official policy about how the languages and linguistic varieties of a country are to be used. Reasons for Language Planning Different social groups wish to maintain their linguistic identities and interests, and may actively and often violently campaign for recognition. Many governments try to solve their problems of slow linguistic evolution by engaging in conscious, principled ‘language planning’.

Agents of Carrying out Language Planning 1. Government departments and agencies; 2. Academies; 3. Committees; 4. Popular societies; 5. Individuals Basic Issues in Language Planning Language planning is an attempt to interfere deliberately with a language or one of its varieties which may focus on either its status with regard to some other language or variety or its internal condition with a view to changing that condition, or on both of these since they are not mutually exclusive. The first focus results in status planning, the second corpus planning. Status Planning Status planning changes the function of a language or a variety of a language and the rights of those who use it.

Corpus Planning Corpus planning seeks to develop a variety of a language or a language, usually to standardize it, that is, to provide it with the means for serving every possible language function in society. The corpus/status dichotomy emphasizes the dual nature of language planning, that is, its concern with both the linguistic and social aspects of language. “Corpus planning” refers to all actions aiming at modifying “the nature of the language itself”. “Status planning” is concerned with whether the social status of language should be lowered or raised. However, the two cannot be separated from each other. Language planning can never be corpus-oriented or status oriented exclusively.

Ideologies of Decision Making Four typical ideologies that may motivate actual decision-making in language planning in a particular society are following: 1. Linguistic assimilation 2. Linguistic pluralism 3. Vernacularizaiton 4. Internationalism Linguistic Assimilation is the belief that everyone, regardless of origin, should learn the dominant language of the society. For example: France applied this policy to various peoples within its borders; Russification in the former Soviet Union. Linguistic Pluralism is the recognition of more than one language, also takes a variety of forms. It can be territorially or individually based or there may be some combination of the two. It can be complete or partial, so that all or only some aspects of life can be conducted in more than one language in society. Examples are countries like Canada, India.

Vernacularization is the restoration or elaboration of an indigenous (native) language and its adoption as an official language. Examples: Hebrew in Israel; Tagalog (or Pilipino) in the Philippines. Internationalism is the adoption of a non-indigenous (non native) language of wider communication either as an official language or for such purposes, as education or trade. Example: English in Singapore, India, the Pilippines. Results of Language Planning A language can achieve one of a variety of statuses. A language may be recognized as the sole official language, as French is in France. �Two or more languages may share official status in some countries, e. g. , English and French in Canada and Cameroon. �A language may also have official status but only on a regional basis, e. g. , German in Belgium. Planning decisions will obviously play a very large role in determining what happens to any minority language or languages in a country. They can result in deliberate attempts to eradicate such a language, as with Franco’s attempt to eliminate Basque from Spain by banning it from public life.

Planning decisions will obviously play a very large role in determining what happens to any minority language or languages in a country. They can result in deliberate attempts to eradicate such a language, as with Franco’s attempt to eliminate Basque from Spain by banning it from public life. Stages of Language Planning 1. Selection; 2. Codification; 3. Modernization; 4. Implementation Selection refers to the choice of a single language as a norm for official, educational, and other purposes. Codification denotes to the chosen language needs to be developed to meet the demands placed upon it as a medium of national or international communication. • If the language has previously existed only in spoken form, or in an unusual writing system, an alphabet will have to be devised, along with rules of spelling and punctuation. • An early aim will be the codification of the pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary to provide a set of norms for standard use, especially if there is a great deal of local variation.

Modernization means that the vocabulary will need to be modernized to enable foreign material to be translated consistently. Principles will have to be agreed for the introduction of new terms; for example, should they be loan words or coinage based on native roots? New styles of discourse may need to be developed, for use on radio or in the press. Decisions will need to be made about new or uncertain usages, especially in technical contexts. Implementation refers to the chosen standard which will need to be officially implemented by using it for government publications, in the media, and in schools. It will be viewed as the ‘best’ form of language in the speech community, because it will be associated with educational progress and social status. It will also provide the norm for literary style, and may be associated with factors of a nationalistic, cultural, or religious kind.