Language Policy and Language Planning: From Nationalism to Globalisation

Language Allows Human Beings To Act Cooperatively, To Plan And To Remember. It Is A Prime Factor In The Constitution Of Social Groups As Well As A Major Barrier Between Groups. Language Policy And Planning Is Rarely Just About Language; It Always Has Social, Political And Economic Dimensions. This Revised Second Edition Is A Comprehensive Overview Of Why We Speak The Languages That We Do. It Covers Language Learning Imposed By Political And Economic Agendas As Well As Language Choices Entered Into Willingly For Reasons Of Social Mobility, Economic Advantage And Group Identity. The First Part Of The Book Reviews The Development And Role Of Standard Languages In The Construction Of National Communities And Identities. The Second Section Examines The Linguistic Accommodation Necessary When Groups Come Into Contact, And Charts Why Lingua Francas Rise And Fall. There Is Speculation On The Future Of International English As Other Power Centres Develop. The Third Section Explores Reactions To Nationalism And Globalisation, With A Discussion Of Language Rights And The Problems Of Language Revitalisation. -- Back Cover. From Language Continuum To Linguistic Mosaic : European Language Communities From The Feudal Period To The Age Of Nationalism -- Language Planning In State Nations And Nation States -- Nation Building In The Wake Of Colonialism : Old Concepts In New Settings -- Transcending The Group : Languages Of Contact And Lingua Francas -- French : The Rise And Fall Of A Prestige Lingua Franca -- English : From Language Of Empire To Language Of Globalisation -- Lingua Francas For The New Millennium -- Globalisation And Rethinking The Concept Of Language -- New Discourse, New Legal Instruments And A New Political Context For Minorities And Their Languages -- New Polities And New Nation Building -- Endangered Languages -- Conclusion: Community And Transcendence. Sue Wright. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.