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Contents1. Introduction
2.
Theoretical reflection in the language policies and planning of the former colonies and
creole societies
3. Conclusion
4.
References
1. Introduction
In the first chapter of his book on language policies, Professor Louis-Jean
CALVET (1996) summarises the background to this new scientific concept whose origins
coincide chronologically with those of sociolinguistics. Einar Haugens work on the
intervention of the Norwegian government to create an "identité nationale"
using language policies and planning ("Language planning") were the beginnings
of the bibliography that would found the methodological principles of what Fishman termed
"applied sociolinguistics". (For this period, see sections 1-3 of the first
chapter of Didier de ROBILLARDs unpublished thesis: 1989). Research by Ferguson, Das
Gupta, Rubin, Tauli and Jernudd, among others, would coincide with the independence of
almost all of the colonies that had existed until that point. As the French professor
points out, the titles of these works related the problems regarding the use of language
in society with the concepts of identity, nation and, given the historical context, the
concept of development (CALVET: 1996.8-9).
A whole series of
terminological clarifications, mainly from Canada and Europe, followed this scientific
wave, which emerged with particular vigour in the United States. "Language
planning" is translated into French as "planification linguistique"
("planificación lingüística" in Spanish -cfr. López Morales: 1993.39. Note
9), whilst the Canadian school of Quebec refer to it as "aménagement
linguistique". The Catalan school gives it the name "language
standardisation" with the idea that "la normalisation montre comment les deux
fonctions linguistiques fondamentales -la conscience et le contrôle- opèrent
concomitamment et complémentairement. Par conséquent, une véritable normalisation ne
saurait jamais se borner aux aspects "purement" linguistiques. Elle doit
envisager en même temps beaucoup de facteurs décidément "sociaux", voire
essentiellement politiques" (Lluis Aracil in Boyer: 1991.105). Calvet would create
the concept of "glottophagie" by which he analyses the various facts produced by
language contact. "glottophagie" takes place when "les langues des autres
(mais derrière les langues on vise les cultures, les communautés) nexistent que
comme preuves de la supériorité des nôtres, elles ne vivent que négativement, fossiles
dun stade révolu de notre propre évolution" (Calvet: 1974.31).
In saying this,
the French professor was associating himself with a current of sociolinguistics, that of
"natifs" or "périphériques" sociolinguists, for whom a balanced
coexistence between two languages in contact cannot exist. Any coexistence of the dominant
language (French, Spanish) and a subjugated language (Reunion Creole, Catalan) is
problematic. This terminology implies a context of domination creating an imbalance or
instability that is "forcément conflit et dilemme"
(Boyer:1991.93).
Paradoxically, the
studies of cases of ex-colonies were re-read by a "periphery" within the
boundaries of the founding discourse and by "natives" who spoke languages very
similar to those of the mother countries, whether Catalan or the French of Quebec, for
example. Using these new lines of argument, we see a direct relationship between the
identity of a human group and the languages used by this group to communicate with each
other. This culture, or means of facing reality, involves a representation of the latter
that goes beyond purely theoretical or in vitro assumptions. This new perception is
underlying in diverse theories that require the recognition of speaker attitudes for a
better description of linguistic fact and, consequently, for a language planning that
better adapts to the needs of the context in which it is applied. This is the thesis of
CALVET (1999: 185):
"Laction
sur les langues constitue une réponse à des problèmes de communication
sociale, réponse en partie déterminée par des représentations collectives qui
constituent une intervention sur la forme et les fonctions des langues. Cest
en ce sens qui jai parlé dhoméostat: il ne sagit pas de
conserver, mais dadapter, de réguler".
This concept of
"representation" also features, albeit in a wider perspective than merely
linguistic, in the last work of the professor of compared literature, Edward W. SAID
(2000: 105):
"Nous vivons
dans un monde qui nest pas seulement fait de marchandises mais aussi de
représentations, et les représentations -leur production, leur circulation, leur
histoire et leur interprétation- sont la matière première de la culture. Ce problème
est le grand centre dintérêt de nombreuses théories récentes, mais elles le
resituent rarement dans son contexte politique, qui est dabord limpérialisme.
Elles préfèrent nous présenter, dun côté, une sphère culturelle autonome
librement ouverte à la recherche pure et à la spéculation rationnelle; de lautre,
une sphère politique sordide où saffronteraient les intérêts concrets. Pour le
professionnel des études culturelles (lhumaniste, le critique, le chercheur), seule
compterait la première. Plus grave: on postule une étanchéité totale entre les deux
-alors que non seulement elles sont liées mais quen définitive elles ne font
quune". |