After considering the relationship between status and. Let us accept for the moment a preliminary definition of lp see section 4 below for further discussion as the planning of deliberate changes in the form or use of a language or a variety, or languages or varieties. When complete, the package will consist of the language policy. His research interests include language planning and policy, sociolinguistics, corpus linguistics, development and policy in africa, and literature. Critical issues in language and education planning in. This volume covers the language situation in botswana, malawi, mozambique and south africa explaining the linguistic diversity, the historical and political contexts and the current language situation, including languageineducation planning, the role of the media, the role of. Pdf language planning, policy and implementation in south africa. Language policy and planning in south africa annual. They share a number of african languages among them.
Joseph kinsella the development of contemporary language policy in south africa. Language planning and policy arise out of sociopolitical situations where, for example, speakers of various languages compete for resources or where a particular linguistic minority is denied access to basic rights. In terms of language policy, this position favours exoglossic monolingualism, i. Pdf critical perspectives on language planning and policy in. Cooper 1989 defines language planning as the activity of preparing a normative orthography, grammar, and dictionary for the guidance of writers and speakers in a nonhomogeneous speech. Introduction purpose of the guide this guide is intended to support first nations communities, governments, schools and language authorities across british columbia in the implementation of language policies and programs that lead to. This followed the decision of cabinet in 1999 to prioritise the development of a language framework for higher education. Language planning, policy and implementation in south africa. Language of instruction policy and practice in africa. South africas sociolinguistic complexity see appendix is a function of a number of factors. Problems and challenges 1 birgit brockutne and halla b. A discussion of language policy formation and planning in south africa covers the following. In the postapartheid era, south africa has adopted a language policy that gives official status to 11 languages english, afrikaans, and nine bantu languages.
Language planning and policy formulation is a complex exercise. Educational language policy in the country is largely the result of widely held beliefs and values about immigrants and patriotism. Language policy and education in multilingual south africa. Language education policy in botswana, africa there are 29 languages listed in botswana, all of which are living languages lewis, et al, 20. The politics of language planning 115 indeed exist, as well as the socioeconomic, political and cultural implications that they carry with them. Unlike many other countries, the united states does not have an official national language policy. Pdf critical perspectives on language planning and. African countries are either already using, or planning to use, them by embarking on experiments and pilot projects. Language planning and language policies in some selected west. After 30 years of seemingly immutable, topdown language policy in education in south africa, the early 1990s and the dismantling of apartheid have brought considerable momentum into the language discussion. The current state of language policy development in south africa the discussion of language policy development in south africa will be handled from the point of view that language planning is part of the strategic planning. This implementation plan is part of the national language policy framework nlpf that gives effect to the provisions on language as set out in section 6 of the constitution, 1996 act no. Language planning and policy in africa, vol 1 by richard b baldauf jr, robert. Languageineducation policy and planning volume 14 christina bratt paulston, susanne mclaughlin.
Language planning and policy in africa apartheid regime, has. Various different languages are used in south africa, but in the 1996 constitution, 11 languages were made the ofcial. There is also a brief discussion of the relevance of lp to teacher. The fourth discusses language maintenance and language shift in nigeria with respect to the indigenous languages and english, the exoglossic language. In july 2001, the council submitted its advice to the minister in a report entitled language policy framework for south african higher education. In our country, english continues to dominate, not only as the language of business, administration, politics and the media, but also as the language of instruction in the entire education system, while african languages continue to be. This analysis is carried out against the backdrop of multilingualism and nation building in south africa, and the language situation in the country. The core section of the monograph investigates language policy and planning, with an emphasis on the mother tongue medium or first language policy and the multilingual policy.
What concerted policies, if any, do these african countries have for language. It explores ways in which deaf learners rights can possibly be protected through appropriate language policy and planning, in the same way that the rights of speakers of. One of the problems often decried in language educational policy is the dearth of information on what is going on in different countries. Language policies and practices in tanzania and south africa. The hardcover of the language planning and policy in africa, vol. Critical perspectives on language planning and policy in. Ppt language planning, policy and implementation in. The impact of language policy and practice on childrens. On the other hand, other scholars such as bernard spolsky, robert b. The language in education policy documents which follow have been the subject of discussions and debate. The purpose of this research was to explore and expose the challenges of language planning and policy formulation in africa, with specific reference to zimbabwe as the case study. Rwanda, an african country, which has received little attention up until now in the scheme of language planning, decided to implement a new language policy at the end of 2008 and has been undergoing change since. Language planning models for a postapartheid south africa.
Introduction this section contains a brief overview of the field of language planning lp. The politics of language planning in postapartheid south. Linguistic portfolios volume 3 48 language of education planning in zambia rebekah gordon abstract zambia is a landlocked country in south central africa. Origins of language educational policies and practices in africa. Language planning and policy in africa, vol 1 by richard b baldauf. Pdf language planning, policy and implementation in. The question of language policy and language planning in africa. Language policy and planning in botswana, malawi, mozambique and south africa. Language planning also known as language engineering is a deliberate effort to influence the function, structure or acquisition of languages or language varieties within a speech community. This volume covers the language situation in botswana, malawi, mozambique and south africa explaining the linguistic diversity, the historical and political contexts and the current language situation, including languageineducation planning, the role of the media, the role of religion, and the roles of nonindigenous languages. Chapter 5 language planning darene almalki an introduction to sociolinguistics by janet holmes.
To support the policy and language planning, the pan south african language board pansalb was formed. It begins by describing the origins of the term lp and some of the goals of the activity. National language policy framework 2003 diversity and to the challenges of constitutional multilingualism, hence the introduction of this national language policy framework. Among the five policy objectives adopted in the action plan on cultural policies for development was to promote cultural and linguistic diversity. Along this route, the importance of language planning for public policy studies becomes almost selfevident. Language policies and practices in tanzania and south. This article is essentially an analysis and critique, of the language in education policy in south africa. Language policy is an interdisciplinary academic field. The term lp was probably first invoked by the linguist uriel weinreich.
Like many other african nations, the republic of south africa is a multilingual one. This volume covers the language situation in algeria, cote divoire, nigeria and tunisia, explaining the linguistic diversity, the historical and political contexts and the current language situation including languageineducation planning, the role of the media, the role of religion, and the roles of nonindigenous languages. Recent developments in language planning, policy and implementation in south africa have led to a view that language policy is a text that is in a constant state of productivity, and it is always. Language policy in kenya cannot be addressed without taking a historical perspective. A number of these discriminatory policies have affected either the access of the learners to the education system or their success within it. Language policies, implicit or explicit, are used to influence and control social behavior, and the u. The inherited languageineducation policy in south africa has been fraught with tensions, contradictions and sensitivities, and underpinned by racial and linguistic discrimination. Drawing on illustrations from ethnologue s 2009 languages of africa, studies on language planning and policy in africa, and recent developments in harmonisation of crossborder language research prah 1998. Kaplan and joseph lo bianco argue that language policy is a branch of applied linguistics as a field, language policy used to be known as language planning and is related. The current constitution of south africa gives official status to nine indigenous languages as well as afrikaans and english. Language planning, policy and implementation in south. Decisions about language policies, requirements, and practices have important consequences in all social contexts.
English or portuguese, or an african language like kiswahilinational language. Language policy and education in south africa springerlink. Academic involvement in language policy and planning in south africa must be seen within the context of the countrys sociolinguistic complexity and the relationship between language and a number of serious problems in the country. The strengths of the policy the status planning in south africa has addressed issues of the history of apartheid and the birth of a democratic state. While its only official language is english, seven other languages are recognized as national languages. It disregards the historically grown sociocultural realities in africa with. Introduction because of the multilingual character of most colonially defined states in africa and elsewhere and because of the intuitive policies of imperialist powers, the languages of europe, specifically. Language planning and policies universiteit leiden. It has it basis in the colonial language policy following the scramble for africa by european powers, which took place towards the end of the 19th century. This paper draws on the notion of multilingualism as social practice heller 2007 to critique postcolonial language planning and policies in africa. Pdf this paper addresses the issues of language planning and implementation in south africa. Language planning and policy in kenya a case study of.
Language ideologies and the politics of language in post. Language planning refers to various ways of influencing a language. Critical issues in language and education planning in twenty first century in south africa diane brook napier. Language planning and policy in kenya a case study of kenyan cities. Language planning refers to deliberate efforts to influence the behavior of others with respect to the acquisition, structure, or functional allocation of. Its history and problems introduction since its creation as a british colony, south africa has been home to a. South africa, a country that got its independence yesterday, has got a sound language policy. This dissertation undertakes research into sign language planning and policy challenges in south africa. This volume focuses on language planning in the cameroon, sudan and zimbabwe, explaining the linguistic diversity, historical and political contexts, current language situation including languageineducation planning, the role of the media, the role of religion and the roles of nonindigenous languages. Court interpreters act of 1978, which provides an interpreter to any victim, witness, or a defendant. To carry out the study, critical stages, approaches, theories and models of language planning were used. The volume explores the issue of language policy from the perspectives of sociopolitical, economic, and linguistic shifts, providing a guide to the realities of englishlanguage policies in asia. Language and education planning issues and democratic policy implementation in the postapartheid era in south.
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