Abstract:

Experts know that multilingualism is not the aberration or minority phenomenon supposed by many English speakers. It is, on the contrary, a normal and unremarkable necessity for the majority of the world´s population. Because languages and dialects are often powerfull symbols of class, gender, ethnic and other kinds of differentiation, it is easy to think that language underlies conflict. Yet disputes involving language are really not about language, but about fundamental inequalities between groups who happen to speak different languages. It is for this reason that language has been an important focus for various kinds of social and political movements around the world. This paper examines the politics of multilingualism as expressed in the phenomenon of indigenous language movements in various parts of the world. Its not surprising that one of the demands of indigenous language movements are towards some form of bilingual education in the minority language. At the same time demands for state resources for support of the language, often undermine its position further and intensify conflicts between majority and minority.

Author: Suzanne Romaine