欧洲少数民族语言保护计划个案研究——以苏格兰盖尔语为中心

A European Case-study of Minority Language Planning-Intervention Strategies to Promote Scottish Gaelic

近几十年,欧洲各地在保护、振兴和推广少数民族语言方面开展了大量活动。其中一项重大举措是欧洲理事会于1998年颁布的《欧洲区域或少数民族语言宪章》(即ECRML,以下简称《宪章》)。在各国政府同意对少数民族语言提供不同程度的保护和支持的前提下,《宪章》可以作为直接的指导。截至2015年,《宪章》覆盖了79种语言。有些语言,如丹麦语,在一个国家是本国语言,在另一个国家可能就被划为少数民族语言。其他语言,如苏格兰盖尔语,虽是苏格兰当地的语言,但也出现了少数民族化的倾向。论文将苏格兰盖尔语振兴计划作为欧洲少数民族语言保护的案例加以探究。目前,在苏格兰只有57375人使用盖尔语,仅占苏格兰总人口的1.1%。

Across Europe there has been much activity in recent decades with regard to safeguarding,revitalising and promoting minority languages.One such significant activity is the legislative instrument the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages(ECRML) delivered by the Council of Europe in 1998.The ECRML can be applied differently across states and different languages with governments agreeing to varying levels of intervention and support;as at 2015,79 languages are covered by the charter.Some languages,such as Danish,are in themselves national languages in one state,but a minority language in another state.Other languages,like Scottish Gaelic,are autochthonous languages and minoritized even within their own states.This article offers a case-study insight into interventionist strategies used to revitalise Scottish Gaelic as an example of minority language protection in Europe.Scottish Gaelic is spoken by 57,375 in Scotland,equivalent to only 1.1 percent of the Scottish population.