• Overview
• Research Platforms
• Thematic Area A: Language, Identity and Culture
• Thematic Area B: Language Policy and Planning
• European Level
• National Level
• Regional Level
• Thematic Area C: Multilingualism and Education
• Thematic Area D: Language and Economy
• Communication, Management, Infrastructure, Training and Gender

Local and regional varieties as markers of identity

(WP5, 2006–2008)

Summary Results

Multilingualism: Seen as a Deficit, Not an Asset

Three case studies in Spain (Castelló and Barcelona), Switzerland (Basel) and England (Southampton) suggest that a monolingual ideology underlies language policies dealing with migrants. In all three cases, learning the respective official language(s) is seen as a crucial factor in integration and the migrants’ multilingual background is not seen as an asset, but as a deficit.

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Rationale

This WP sheds light on the language (spread) policies in some of the bigger (‘dominant’) nation states of the European Union. In particular, the ‘outward’ language spread policies of some countries (i.e. the way in which they promote their language(s) as lingua franca(s) abroad and thus contribute to the multilingual and multicultural reality) will be investigated, and compared with the ‘inward’ language spread policy/ies (i.e. the way in which they promote their own language(s) in their own country in compliance with, or opposed to, the idea of multilingualism and multiculturalism). Special attention will be paid to the discourses underlying the policies and not simply to policy content.

Objectives

For this WP it will be interesting to find out, on the one hand, how far the ‘outward’ and the ‘inward’ language spread policies differ from one another, and on the other hand to what extent they enhance and promote language contact outside of the state and give rise to (latent or overt) language conflict within the borders of the state. As far as the ‘inward’ language spread policies are concerned, the WP above all aims to see how far they affect migrant populations and their endeavours to become citizens of the state they (choose to) reside in.

Description of work

The theoretical overview of language policy and its relationship with issues of citizenship and migration in the focus countries has been completed, as has the identification of texts (official, media etc) for critical analysis. The data collection for qualitative analysis in fieldwork for case studies in Spain is almost complete, carried out in July in Barcelona with North Africans and in September in Castelló with Romanians, although additional interviews are planned with Eastern European migrants and also with key figures in Catalan government language planning in December in Barcelona. The interview programme in Basel with Romanian women migrants has progressed steadily throughout the period and some further interviews are planned. Currently fieldwork in Southampton is ongoing (having started later than the other case studies) with informants from the Polish and Romanian communities as is the collection of textual material for CDA from local and national media sources and government institutions at all levels. In all these four case studies the transcription, translation and summaries, and analysis of data collected is proceeding, the difference in schedules resulting in varying degrees of completion. At the same time, dissemination of aspects of WP5’s work is planned through a number of papers accepted at conferences e.g. SS17 Amsterdam, AILA Essen and ALSA-VALS Lugano (in collaboration with WP4).