语言政策中的人口因素

Some Demographic Aspects of Language Policy

尽管人口因素可以通过语言社区中正常的语言实践来对制定语言政策产生重要影响,但它不能独自奏效,而需要跟社区成员的语言信仰和语言管理结合起来才起作用;因为语言信仰决定着人们对语言变体的价值观,而语言管理则可以改变人们的语言信仰和语言实践。个体语库会随着他们所处语言域的不同而发生变化,从而导致社区语言的使用模式各不相同。人口数量对语言政策的影响不如语言所赋价值对语言政策的影响大。虽然移民和城市化现象对语言政策的制定非常重要,但它们的影响还取决于人们有关祖语以及经济优势语的信仰。

Although demography has a signifi cant infl uence on language policy by shaping the normal language practices of a community,it does not work independently but together with the beliefs of the members of the community which set values for varieties and with the management activities that alter beliefs and practices.The linguistic repertoires of individuals change as they move into new domains,which results in the formation of community language patterns.Numbers are less important than values in determining policy.Migration and urbanization are important,but depend on the beliefs associated with heritage and economically advantaged languages.