语言政策的重要性和有利于文化多样性的多语制

The importance of language policies and multilingualism for cultural diversity

本文探讨了多语制对文化多样性的贡献以及明确、全面和公开的语言规划的重要性,这种规划旨在保护濒危原住民语言和移民语言。制定这样的语言政策是至关重要的:确保少数民族人口能够利用有声望的国家标准语言并获得识字能力,同时又支持少数民族语言(原住民语言和移民语言)的代际留传。这个双重性的目标之间是具有互补性的,但需要进行更专业的语言规划实践。所倡导的这种多语制,应以提升国家凝聚力、有利于生产力发展和确保社会公正为目的。本文在有关语言决策的操作化和机制的各节中,讨论了有利于多语制发展的、经过改进的干预做法。当今,对语言多样性来说,全球化是一种挑战,但在某些方面,与根据语言界定的民族国家所进行的严格同化实践相比,全球化也使得多种多样的语言在代际间的留传更加可行。另外,对多语制更具支撑潜力的是基于语音的通讯技术,它克服了距离和分散的严酷性,有望使尚无文字的群体或识字程度有限的人们能够利用信息、进行沟通并团结起来。语言在记忆和文化生产中的作用,突显了不同语体的语言对文化而言具有多么核心的地位。领会人类差异性及保护这种差异性,要意识到多语制的重要性。目前,世界上有很多语言都处于濒危状态,对各国、各国际机构和非政府实体而言,语言规划应成为保护语言多样性的一种主要手段。

The article addresses the contribution of multilingualism to cultural diversity and the importance of explicit,comprehensive and public language planning to secure a stronger future for endangered indigenous and immigrant languages.It is critically important to develop language policies that ensure the access of minority populations to prestigious forms of national standard languages and literacies while supporting the intergenerational retention of minority languages,both indigenous and immigrant languages.These twin objectives are complementary but require a more expert practice of language planning.The multilingualism which is advocated aims to be nationally cohesive,economically productive and socially just.An enhanced practice of intervention on behalf of multilingualism is discussed in sections devoted to the mechanisms and activity of language policy-making.Contemporary globalisation is a challenge for language diversity but in some ways makes the intergenerational retention of diverse languages more feasible than under conditions of strict assimilation as practiced by linguistically defined nation-states.Also potentially supportive ofmultilingualismare the voice-based communication technologies that overcome the tyranny of distance and dispersal,and promise access to information,communication and solidarity for preliterate groups or those that have limited literacy.The roles of language in memory and cultural production underscore how central language in its various genres is to culture.As a result,efforts to appreciate and foster human differences require awareness of the importance of multilingualism.The endangered state of many of the world's languages and the now almost universal phenomenon of multiculturalism make the practice of language planning a central instrument for states,international agencies and non-governmental bodies.