Towards openly multilingual policies and practices : assessing minority language maintenance across Europe / Johanna Laakso, Anneli Sarhimaa, Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark and Reetta Toivanen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Laakso, Johanna, author.

Sarhimaa, Anneli, author.

Spiliopoulou Åkermark, Athanasia, author.

Toivanen, Reetta, author.

Series:

Linguistic diversity and language rights ; 11.

Linguistic Diversity and Language Rights ; 11

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Linguistic minorities--Europe.

Linguistic minorities.

Language maintenance.

Europe.

Language and languages--Variation.

Language and languages.

Language maintenance--Europe.

Language and culture--Europe.

Language and culture.

Physical Description:

xvi, 259 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Bristol : Multilingual Matters, [2016]

Summary:

This book investigates the maintenance of multilingualism and minority languages in 12 different minority communities across Europe, all of which are underrepresented in international minority language studies. The book presents a number of case studies covering a broad range of highly diverse minorities and languages with different historical and socio-political backgrounds. Despite current legislation and institutional and educational support, the authors surmise there is no guarantee for the maintenance of minority languages, suggesting changes in attitudes and language ideologies are the key to promoting true multilingualism. The book also introduces a new tool, the European Language Vitality Barometer, for assessing the maintenance of minority languages on the basis of survey data. The book is based on the European Language Diversity for All (ELDIA) research project which was funded by the European Commission (7th framework programme, 2010-2013). Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Introduction 1

1.1 The Monolingual Bias Underlying European Linguistic Traditions and Language Policies 1

1.1.1 All multilingualisms are not equal 1

1.1.2 The monolingual bias in linguistics... 3

1.1.3 ...and specifically in the research of Finno-Ugric minority languages 5

1.2 From the Monolingual Bias to the Idea of a Multilingual Europe - On Paper Only 6

1.2.1 Multilingual language policies based on monolingual ideologies? 7

1.2.2 New insights from research: Multilingualism is good for you. and it is natural - in fact, everybody is multilingual 8

1.2.3 Contested language borders and contested languages: Discrimination by way of status denial or creating new identities? 9

1.3 Rethinking Types of Languages and Language-Based Groups 11

1.3.1 Mother tongue vs. heritage language 11

1.3.2 Vehicular languages or lingua franca as languages of interethnic communication 13

1.3.3 What makes a minority? 14

1.3.4 Different types of minorities: Old and new, indigenous, autochthonous, migrant... 15

1.4 From the Monolingual Bias to a Broad Understanding of Multilingualism and Diversity: The ELDIA Approach 17

1.4.1 ELDIA strategies for avoiding the monolingual bias: Acknowledge diversity, respect speakers' choices and avoid the 'Mother Tongue Mystique' 17

1.4.2 Multilingualism means more than just the coexistence of languages 18

1.4.3 The prevailing narrow view on multilingualism as a problem for language education and language policies in general 20

1.4.4 Superdiversity: New layers in the European diversity of languages and identities 22

1.4.5 What the ELDIA case studies reveal of the diversity of diversities in Europe 24

1.5 Minority and Majority Relationship Through the Mirror of Media Contents 26

1.6 Analysing Laws and Policies: Beyond Law as a Mere Formality 29

2 European Language Vitality Barometer - A Novel Tool For Measuring the Degree of Language Maintenance at Group Level 33

2.1 Investigating and Measuring Language Maintenance: Precedents to the EuLaViBar 33

2.2 The EuLaViBar in a Nutshell 37

2.3 The ELDIA Language Maintenance Scale 40

2.4 From Survey Data to the EuLaViBar: Making a Long Story Short 43

2.5 Beyond the EuLaViBar: Contextualising and Qualitative Data 46

3 Apples, Oranges and Cranberries: Finno-Ugric Minorities in Europe and the Diversity of Diversities 49

3.1 Hungarian in Slovenia: In the Trap of Well-intentioned Minority Policies? 52

3.1.1 From Trianon to modern minority policies 52

3.1.2 Regulating domestic language diversity: Hungarian in an ethnically mixed area 54

3.1.3 EuLaViBar results for Hungarian in Slovenia: Endangered despite strong legal protection 56

3.2 Hungarian in Austria: Diverse Origins, Diverse Statuses 57

3.2.1 Autochthonous, immigrant or both? 57

3.2.2 Hungarian and other languages in Austrian legal and institutional frameworks 59

3.2.3 'Discourse of mutual gratitude': The Hungarians of Austria in minority and majority media 60

3.2.4 Spoken but not secure: Hungarian in Austria in the light of the EuLaViBar results 62

3.3 Estonian in Germany: Modern Mobility Creates Invisible Minorities 65

3.3.1 Invisible among more numerous migrant groups 65

3.3.2 Regulating diversity in Germany: 'There certainly are laws for more important languages but that does not concern Estonian' 66

3.3.3 EuLaViBar results for Estonian in Germany: Strong in private use, poor in public visibility? 68

3.4 Seto in Estonia: On the Border of States and Statuses 72

3.4.1 'Our history is behind the border' 72

3.4.2 Regulation of the Seto language 73

3.4.3 Seto in the media: Poor coverage, moderate demands 76

3.4.4 EuLaViBar results for Seto: Overall endangerment 77

3.5 Voro (Voru) in Estonia: A Minority Defying Definitions 79

3.5.1 Dialect or language? 79

3.5.2 Regulation and public use of Voro 81

3.5.3 Media analysis: 'We are not a minority but normal people' 82

3.5.4 EuLaViBar results for Voro: A language 'more for the mouth'? 83

3.6 Veps in Russia: 'There are laws, but we don't see them in action' 85

3.6.1 The easternmost Finnic minority 85

3.6.2 Legal and institutional position of Veps in Russia 88

3.6.3 Veps in the media: focus on identity and tradition 90

3.6.4 EuLaViBar results for Veps: Few real signs of hope amidst unwarranted optimism? 92

3.7 Karelian in Russia: 'Where can we go with the Karelian language?' 96

3.7.1 The elusive Karelia and its language(s) 96

3.7.2 Regulation and public use of Karelian in Russia: The legacy of exceptionally capricious language policies 98

3.7.3 Karelian and Karelians in the media 100

3.7.4 EuLaViBar results for Karelian in Russia: Being the titular language of an ethnic republic does not mean adequate support 102

3.8 Karelian in Finland: Last-Minute Recognition? 104

3.8.1 Karelian speakers in Finland: A minority that was never allowed to exist 104

3.8.2 Legal and institutional position of Karelian in Finland: From assimilation to recognition 108

3.8.3 The Karelian language and its speakers in Finnish media: From folklorism and nostalgia to a more modern media presence? 110

3.8.4 EuLaViBar results for Karelian in Finland: Can the language shift be reversed? 111

3.9 Estonian in Finland: A Numerous but Inconspicuous Minority 115

3.9.1 The long and short history of Estonians in Finland 115

3.9.2 Legal and institutional position of Estonian in Finland: An immigrant group among others? 117

3.9.3 Estonians of Finland in minority and majority media: Silent and invisible? 118

3.9.4 EuLaViBar results for Estonian in Finland: Practical accommodation or assimilation? 119

3.10 Meänkieli in Sweden: From 'Our Language' to Official Minority Language 121

3.10.1 Strong democracy = weak minority protection? 121

3.10.2 Legal and institutional position of Meänkieli in Sweden 123

3.10.3 Poor media supply in Meänkieli, controversial images of Meänkieli in majority media 125

3.10.4 EuLaViBar results for Meänkieli in Sweden: Weak presence, poor opportunities 127

3.11 Kven in Norway: A Real Language or Just a Variety of Finnish? 130

3.11.1 National or immigrant language? 130

3.11.2 Legal and institutional position of Kven in Norway 131

3.11.3 Media and Kven 133

3.11.4 EuLaViBar results for Kven in Norway 134

3.12 North Sámi in Norway: A Hopeful History 137

3.12.1 Indigenous in the North 137

3.12.2 Legal and institutional position of North Sámi in Norway: A paragon for many indigenous peoples? 139

3.12.3 North Sámi and its speakers in Norwegian media 140

3.12.4 EuLaViBar results for North Sámi in Norway: Uneven successes 142

3.13 A Note on Finnish in Sweden 145

4 Analysis 151

4.1 What the Results of the EuLaViBar Analyses Tell Us 151

4.1.1 Capacity: Cultivation, standardisation and institutional support make a difference - but can we really know 'how well these people speak their language'? 152

4.1.2 Opportunity: Lack of explicit discrimination rather than proper institutional support? 156

4.1.3 Desire: 'What can one do with this language?' 161

4.1.4 Language products 164

4.1.5 Can we really trust the EuLaViBar results? 169

4.2 Law, Language and Multilingualism 173

4.2.1 Language legislation, linguistic justice, and legal analysis: On the theoretical back- ground of the legal studies in ELDIA 174

4.2.1.1 Language legislation can be a tool of oppression but also of emancipation 174

4.2.1.2 Language legislation, language rights and 'linguistic justice': 'Moralism' vs. utilitarian arguments 175

4.2.1.3 From details of language regulation to more general discussions on justice and fairness: The ELDIA approach to law and to debates on law 176

4.2.2 Historical background: Language and nationalism through law 178

4.2.3 Language policy through law: The societal vs.

the individual perspective 179

4.2.4 Non-discrimination and the heritage of the egalitarian tradition 181

4.2.5 Language-related case law at an international level 182

4.2.6 Remarks on the limitations of litigation and case law studies 187

4.2.7 Novel normative approaches to language matters 188

4.2.8 Conclusions of ELDIA legal studies 190

4.3 Language and Society: Have We Been Able to Overcome the Idea About the 'Survival of The Fittest'? 192

4.3.1 Sociology and language studies 193

4.3.2 Ethnographic studies on languages and language minorities 195

4.3.3 Language and power 196

4.3.4 The sociological dimension in ELDIA 197

4.3.5 Comparing ELDIA media discourse analyses 199

5 Implications and Recommendations: What Should We Do to Maintain Language Diversity in Europe? 204

5.1 Supporting the Diversity of Diversities: Common Directions for European and National Language Policies? 204

5.2 Visibility Publicity, Empowerment and Identity Building 205

5.3 Revitalisation, Intergenerational Transmission and Empowerment 206

5.4 Language Skills, Mobility and Sustainable Multilingualism 208

5.5 Legal and Institutional Support 210

5.6 Research Implications 211

5.7 Concluding Recommendations 213

6 Afterword: Disendangering Languages / Miklos Kontra Kontra, Miklos, M. Paul Lewis Lewis, M. Paul, Tove Skutnabb-Kangas Skutnabb-Kangas, Tove 217.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781783094950

1783094958

OCLC:

925355213

Publisher Number:

99968789263