Summary
1.
Introduction
2. The
growth in the use of Catalan
3. The
Practical Results of applying the Indexpla
4.
Analysis by sectors
5.
Analysis of the first observations by sector
6.
Analysis of the first observations by sub sector
7. First
and last observations of all sectors
8.
Analysis by factors
9.
Indexpla Eix de Serveis
10.
Analysis of the first observations of the factors
11.
Conclusions
1. Introduction
The Indexpla is a tool which
allows the level of linguistic normalisation of an organisation to be measured objectively
at a given moment, and also allows the evolution of this normalisation to be measured over
specific periods of time showing the results of any actions that have been taken to
increase the level of Catalan usage. For each organisation observed, an index of
linguistic normalisation (ILN) is obtained. This index is calculated from data obtained
from the study of six factors (image and communications, linguistic competency of staff,
linguistic usage criteria, external documentation, external communications, and internal
documentation and communications).
The Language Normalisation
Centre cpnl.org (CNL) in Barcelona has made more than 300 Indexpla observations at more
than 120 organisations throughout the city. The results have made possible an evaluation
which goes beyond the linguistic evolution of each organisation. Furthermore, some overall
conclusions have also been extracted which apply to the sectors or factors included in the
study.
These conclusions, however,
cannot be extrapolated to the linguistic usage of all of the organisations throughout the
city, nor will they indicate the level of the presence of Catalan in the city. This
information the oral and written linguistic permeation of Catalan in public
institutions, private organisations and throughout society in general can be
obtained by applying the Ofercat system, which was inspired by the Indexpla. A pilot trial
of Ofercat has been carried out in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona.
2.
The growth in the use of Catalan
One of the main objectives of
the CNL in Barcelona is to encourage the use of the Catalan language in all areas
throughout the city, especially within the socio-economic and socio-cultural sectors.
In 1995, a new, experimental
technique was implemented linguistic management. This was one of the services
provided by the CPNL (the Consortium for Language Normalisation) in order to plan
linguistic usage in such a way so as to incorporate and increase the use of Catalan in
communications. It was important, if not essential, to have an objective and graphical
method of diagnosis, and also a way in which to evaluate the process of the growth in the
knowledge and use of Catalan in those organisations that the CPNL was working with
the Indexpla.
3. The
Practical Results of applying the Indexpla
Over the years we have been
able to observe how applying the Indexpla has produced a series of practical consequences
that we can evaluate from various angles: - an improvement in our image, an objective
diagnostic tool, a change in the way objectives were planned, and also a change in the
follow-up and evaluation of the objectives of normalisation plans, and finally, a way of
grouping organisations according to the ILN.
3.1. The
Indexpla and the improvement in our image
Presenting this linguistic
analysis to client organisations has added an innovative element to our image, which has
proved to be of significant technical value when we have to communicate with such
organisations. Before the Indexpla was applied, negotiations with organisations were
poorly structured and it was often difficult to present our services in an objective way.
Now, using the Indexpla, we can demonstrate the information we obtain regarding the
linguistic situation observed in an organisation, in a simple, systematic way.
3.2. The
Indexpla as a diagnostic tool
When an organisation allows us
to produce an objective diagnosis using observations from multiple indicators, they are in
effect opening the doors to a complete linguistic audit comprising personal interviews,
observations, access to documentation etc. Before we worked with Indexpla, access to such
information was often a problem organisations were wary about providing certain
data because they did not know what use might be made of it. Now, with the Indexpla, they
know exactly why we want the information and that has made our relationship with the
organisation much more straightforward.
3.3. The
Indexpla and Planning
Whenever we have begun to work
with an organisation we have produced an initial linguistic plan for them, but after the
Indexpla is applied, the design of these plans changes, and new objectives, closely linked
to the above-mentioned Indexpla factors, are then formulated. The plan can then be
designed depending on the results of the initial diagnosis. A detailed analysis, employing
and adapting to these factors, assists in defining the actions and achieving the
objectives set out in the subsequently produced linguistic plan.
3.4. The
Indexpla and follow-up and evaluation of plans
The Indexpla, from the initial
diagnosis onwards, allows for successive analyses to be made (these are normally done on a
yearly basis throughout the period when we are working with the organisation in question).
These analyses are useful for any adjustments that need to be made to the agreements laid
down in the original plan, re-channelling the measures established to improve results, and
to evaluate what has actually been achieved when the collaboration has been completed. The
Indexpla allows for summary sheets to be drawn up where any temporary measures results
obtained are described, as well as those obtained whilst working with us. These summary
sheets are useful when deciding whether to continue with or call a halt to a programme,
because they allow us to see whether the process is advancing satisfactorily or whether it
has stagnated.
If the ILN is low or very low,
certain measures must be taken in order to guarantee the process of increasing the use of
Catalan. This is achieved by extending the type of communication situations when Catalan
is used. Our task here is to focus more on awareness-raising and the diffusion of the
language, and not on achieving linguistic change. If the organisations have a medium to
high ILN, the objectives should focus on the consolidation of the process of linguistic
normalisation, and on the growth of the level of linguistic autonomy.
3.5. The
Indexpla allows organisations to be classified according to their ILN.
When the process is initiated,
a linguistic analysis of the communications of the organisation and the linguistic
aptitude of its staff is undertaken. This analysis is done by applying the Indexpla, which
classifies organisations by their level of normalisation according to the ILN. This index
has a value of between 0 and 100: - if the index is above 80%, then the organisation is
considered to have achieved a high level in the use of Catalan; if it is between 60% and
80% then it has reached the normalisation threshold; an index below this level would
indicate that the organisation is not able to attend to the public or communicate in
Catalan.
4.
Analysis by sectors
The Indexpla has been tried in
Barcelona in the Official use and linguistic rights, the Socio-economic
sphere, and the Health and social institutions sectors. It has been
applied to more than 120 organisations over the last five years. This is a significant
number of organisations, which means that we have been able to gauge the usefulness of the
Index, and it has also allowed us to study the perceived changes in a more objective way.
It cannot, however, be used to make extrapolations for all sectors, but it can detect the
increase or decrease of activity in each sector.
In the Education,
research and youth and also in the Media and cultural industries
sectors, work has been of a sporadic nature, thus the data obtained was not considered to
be of significance.
Figure
1. Number of organizations by sectors
Figure
2. Distribution of organizations by sub sectors
5.
Analysis of the first observations by sector
We compiled all of
the first observations made over the period of the study. The organisations with which a
collaboration agreement had only recently been agreed had only undergone this first
observation. |