Francis M. Hult

Analysis of language policy discourses across the scales of space and time

Abstract The ecology of language has been put forward as a useful orientation to the holistic investigation of multilingual language policies because it draws attention to relationships among speakers, languages, policies, and social contexts at varying dimensions of social organization. As such, it is an orientation that stands to facilitate the integration of micro- and macro-sociolinguistic inquiry in language policy and planning (LPP); however, it is not a method. An ecological orientation requires the application of specific methods in order to achieve a holistic picture of an LPP situation. To this end, the present article explores how recent discourse analytic theories and methods that focus on ways in which discursive processes operate within and across space and time are especially well suited to the ecological objective of understanding relationships between language policies and the social actions of individuals.

Shaping the Climate for Language Shift? English in Sweden's Elite Domains.

This paper investigates how & to what degree English is used in specific elite domains in Sweden through analysis of (1) language requirements to participate in undergraduate & graduate programs at competitive institutions, & (2) language qualifications & language use patterns in elite professions. We find that English is used pervasively, but not exclusively. The paper also explores to what extent these language use patterns in elite domains suggest that a language shift toward English in Sweden might take place in the future. Although our data indicate that functional dominance of English is far from complete, we argue the fact that because English holds a prominent position in certain elite domains, it might be significant in influencing language ideology. Furthermore, whereas Sweden cannot presently be characterized as a nation undergoing language shift, the high status of English as the language of international communication & its significance as an important channel of communication in many elite domains are possibly important factors in shaping the climate for language use patterns of the coming decades. (Less)

Planning for Multilingualism and Minority Language Rights in Sweden

As the presence of English in Europe continues to grow, there is a mounting interest in the position of national languages among European institutions, societies, and people. Swedish, like many national languages in Europe and throughout the world, is in an awkward position. It is at the same time a strong national language with the potential to dominate other languages within national borders and a potentially dominated language with respect to English as an international language. Sweden is currently faced with balancing this delicate position in its language policies. This paper explores recent developments in status planning, particularly with respect to language rights, for Swedens five recognized national minorities and their languages. Swedish minority language issues are situated in sociohistorical context and recent language policy initiatives are analyzed. It is suggested that Swedish policy trends are moving towards fostering societal multilingualism.

Discursive mechanisms and human agency in language policy formation : negotiating bilingualism and parallel language use at a Swedish university

In the wake of the enactment of Swedens Language Act in 2009 and in the face of the growing presence of English, Swedish universities have been called upon by the Swedish Higher Education Authority to craft their own language policy documents. This study focuses on the discursive negotiation of institutional bilingualism by a language policy committee at one Swedish university during the process of developing a draft language policy. Following an ethnographic/discourse analytic orientation to language policy and planning research, data were collected during language policy committee meetings at the university. Using nexus analysis, circulating discourses are mapped and analyzed, with a specific focus on how these discourses were negotiated through mediated actions during committee meeting interaction and then entextualized in a draft policy. Analysis reveals how ‘bilingualism’ became reinterpreted as ‘parallel language use,’ a concept developed and used in Nordic language planning over the past 15 years. Analysis further shows how committee members negotiated the meaning of parallel language use and the processes of resemiotization that took place as discourses from other sociolinguistic scales entered into the committees discussion and writing. In all, the study highlights discursive mechanisms of language planning and the interplay of social actors and texts.

A Case of Prestige and Status Planning: Swedish and English in Sweden.

The position of English vis-à-vis Swedish in Sweden is gaining attention because of a growing concern that the encroachment of English in certain domains may result in Swedish losing ground. A current language policy proposal, entitled Mål i mun, commissioned by the Swedish Government, addresses this concern, in part, by outlining recommendations for the respective roles of Swedish and English (1) in primary, secondary, and higher education and (2) in public, commercial, and governmental settings with the aim of strengthening Swedish. The present paper traces the development of this proposal and the relative positions of Swedish and English in its policy recommendations, focusing particularly on status planning and reflections of prestige planning in the document.

Drive-thru linguistic landscaping: Constructing a linguistically dominant place in a bilingual space

Despite the rich societal multilingualism of the United States, the ideological construction of English dominance continues to cast a shadow over other languages. Among the mechanisms that contribute to this state of affairs (e.g. educational policy and conservative language activism), visual language use in public spaces plays a salient role. A growing body of linguistic landscape research highlights the centrality of visual environments in the discursive construction of multilingual settings. Drawing upon nexus analysis together with principles of geosemiotics, the present study explores the discursive processes through which a particular image of San Antonio’s linguistic sense of place, one of English dominance despite its demographic bilingualism, is constructed. Visual data were collected on San Antonio’s highway system, an extensive network that traverses the city and is lined with billboard signs and commercial establishments. Data analysis shows that a confluence of (trans)national, cultural and economic discourses mediates language choices on signs. English is normalized as an unmarked language for all aspects of the linguistic landscape, reproducing national language ideologies about the status of English in the United States. Spanish, in turn, is associated with transnational migration as well as limited community and family domains.

Research methods in language policy and planning : a practical guide

Language policy and planning (LPP) is one of the fastest growing sub-disciplines of applied linguistics. This book is the first volume that is exclusively devoted to research methods in language policy. As in other areas of applied linguistics, LPP scholars have drawn upon an array of research methods from a range of disciplines. This book is designed as a practical roadmap for those methods. Each chapter is written by a leading language policy expert and provides a how-to guide to planning studies, gathering data, and engaging with data analysis. In addition to this accessible structure, the book includes a series of guidelines for public engagement to help researchers as they endeavor to incorporate their work into public policy. Research Methods in Language Policy and Planning: A Practical Guide will serve as both a foundational methods text for graduate students and novice researchers and a useful methodological reference that experienced LPP researchers will find themselves returning to time and again. (Less)

Directions and prospects for educational linguistics

Foreword Nancy H. Hornberger, University of Pennsylvania Introduction Francis M. Hult, University of Texas at San Antonio 1 Educational Linguistics: Working at a Crossroads Constant Leung, Kings College London 2 Theme-based Research in the Transdisciplinary Field of Educational Linguistics Francis M. Hult, University of Texas at San Antonio 3 Methodology and Pedagogy in Educational Sociolinguistics: Researching and Teaching in Linguistically Diverse Schools Angela Creese, University of Birmingham 4 Discourse Issues in Cross-cultural Pragmatics: Educating the Community Diana Boxer, University of Florida 5 An Ethnopoetic Analysis of Interactional Competence: An Instance of Educational Linguistics in Practice Doris Warriner, Arizona State University 6 Employing eye-tracking technology in researching the effectiveness of recasts in CMC Bryan Smith, Arizona State University 7The Educational Linguistics of Bilingual Deaf Education Martina L. Carlson, Albuquerque Public Schools Jill Morford, University of New Mexico Barbara Shaffer, University of New Mexico Phyllis Perrin Wilcox, University of New Mexico 8 Multiuser Digital Games as Sites for Research and Practice Julie Sykes, University of New Mexico Jon Reinhardt, University of Arizona and Steven L. Thorne, Pennsylvania State University 9 Envoi: Towards Responsible Language Educational Management Bernard Spolsky, Bar Ilan University

Theme-based research in the transdisciplinary field of educational linguistics

This chapter considers the intellectual benefits and challenges of transdisciplinarity for educational linguistics. Building on earlier work about the nature of educational linguistics, Halliday’s notion of theme in transdisciplines is expanded upon. The concept of theme is presented as foundational for the problem-oriented nature of educational linguistics. The application of a thematic orientation is then set forth as a way in which to approach the topics encompassed by the field. Finally, practical implications for doing thematic research, along with key benefits and potential pitfalls, are examined.

Global flows in local language planning : Articulating parallel language use in Swedish univerity policies

In this paper, the language policies of three Swedish universities are examined as instances of language planning in local contexts. Although Sweden has the national Language Act of 2009 (SFS 2009:600) as well as a general Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100; SFS 2014:1096), language planning for higher education is left to the purview of individual institutions. Since language planning in local contexts often involves the intersection of locally situated communication needs and wider circulating ideologies, the present study considers how national language planning goals are taken up and reinterpreted by higher education institutions. In particular, the focus is on universities whose policies are framed using the Nordic language planning concept of “parallel language use”, which has emerged over the last 20 years as a way to theorize a sociopolitical balance between English and Scandinavian languages. The concept indexes a range of issues related to the relative position of Swedish and English, including linguistic tensions surrounding international aspirations and national responsibilities for universities and the mitigation of purported domain loss by Swedish to English. Drawing upon a discourse analysis of policy approach, we analyze the policies of these three universities as examples of local language planning, focusing on how they engage with ideas related to parallel language use while also expanding upon the concept to include the linguistic needs of local students and staff.