Julia De Bres

Planning for Tolerability in New Zealand, Wales and Catalonia

The attitudes and behaviours of majority language speakers have an important impact on minority languages, and it has been claimed that the long-term success of minority language initiatives may only be achievable if some degree of favourable opinion, or ‘tolerability’, of these initiatives is secured among majority language speakers. Once the problem of tolerability has been recognised in a minority language situation, however, how can language planners address it? The literature has tended to concentrate on the theoretical arguments that need to be conveyed to majority language speakers in order to improve the tolerability of minority languages. In contrast, there has been little consideration of what practical language policy approaches can be used to ‘plan for tolerability’. An analysis of recent language regeneration policy in New Zealand, Wales and Catalonia reveals that planning for tolerability is in fact currently occurring in all of these language situations. This article examines the various ap...The attitudes and behaviours of majority language speakers have an important impact on minority languages, and it has been claimed that the long-term success of minority language initiatives may only be achievable if some degree of favourable opinion, or ‘tolerability’, of these initiatives is secured among majority language speakers. Once the problem of tolerability has been recognised in a minority language situation, however, how can language planners address it? The literature has tended to concentrate on the theoretical arguments that need to be conveyed to majority language speakers in order to improve the tolerability of minority languages. In contrast, there has been little consideration of what practical language policy approaches can be used to ‘plan for tolerability’. An analysis of recent language regeneration policy in New Zealand, Wales and Catalonia reveals that planning for tolerability is in fact currently occurring in all of these language situations. This article examines the various approaches taken, focusing on five features of planning for tolerability: recognising the problem; defining the target audience; developing messages and desired behaviours; selecting policy techniques and evaluating success. Given this growing policy activity, the article concludes that planning for tolerability deserves more attention from researchers and policymakers than it has received to date.

Multilingual practices of university students and changing forms of multilingualism in Luxembourg

With its own national language, Luxembourgish, and three languages of administration, French, German and Luxembourgish, Luxembourg has long been a very multilingual country. The nature of this multilingualism is now changing, due to the rising proportion of migrants in the country, who now make up 43% of the resident population. The changing demographic profile of Luxembourg is reflected in a diversification of language practices within this already highly multilingual context. This article focuses on one group of people who exemplify these changes, 24 students of diverse national and language backgrounds at the University of Luxembourg. Using data from a language diaries exercise conducted as part of an introductory course on multilingualism, we examine the reported multilingual practices of the students and consider what these language practices reveal about traditional and newer forms of multilingualism in Luxembourg.

The hierarchy of minority languages in New Zealand

This article makes a case for the existence of a minority language hierarchy in New Zealand. Based on an analysis of language ideologies expressed in recent policy documents and interviews with policymakers and representatives of minority language communities, it presents the arguments forwarded in support of the promotion of different types of minority languages in New Zealand, as well as the reactions of representatives of other minority language communities to these arguments. The research suggests that the arguments in favour of minority language promotion are most widely accepted for the Māori language, followed by New Zealand Sign Language, then Pacific languages, and finally community languages. While representatives of groups at the lower levels of the hierarchy often accept arguments advanced in relation to languages nearer the top, this is not the case in the other direction. Recognition of connections between the language communities is scarce, with the group representatives tending to present themselves as operating in isolation from one another, rather than working towards common interests.This article makes a case for the existence of a minority language hierarchy in New Zealand. Based on an analysis of language ideologies expressed in recent policy documents and interviews with policymakers and representatives of minority language communities, it presents the arguments forwarded in support of the promotion of different types of minority languages in New Zealand, as well as the reactions of representatives of other minority language communities to these arguments. The research suggests that the arguments in favour of minority language promotion are most widely accepted for the Māori language, followed by New Zealand Sign Language, then Pacific languages, and finally community languages. While representatives of groups at the lower levels of the hierarchy often accept arguments advanced in relation to languages nearer the top, this is not the case in the other direction. Recognition of connections between the language communities is scarce, with the group representatives tending to present ...

Competing language ideologies about societal multilingualism among cross-border workers in Luxembourg

Cross-border workers, who live in the surrounding border regions of France, Belgium and Germany, now make up 44 percent of the workforce in Luxembourg. This increasing presence of “foreigners” is prompting substantial change to Luxembourg’s traditionally triglossic language situation, where Luxembourgish, French and German have coexisted in public use. In this situation, competing language ideologies emerge reflecting the interests of different groups. Through analysis of metalinguistic discourse in interviews with thirty crossborder workers in Luxembourg, this article examines how the language ideologies of cross-border workers might contribute to competing perspectives on societal multilingualism in Luxembourg.

Promoting a minority language to majority language speakers: television advertising about the Maori language targeting non-Maori New Zealanders

Abstract It has been claimed that the success of minority language policy initiatives may only be achievable if at least some degree of ‘tolerability’ of these initiatives is secured among majority language speakers. There has, however, been little consideration in the language planning literature of what practical approaches might be used to influence the attitudes of majority language speakers towards minority languages, that is to ‘plan for tolerability’. This article considers the approach taken in two recent television advertisements that address the attitudes and behaviours of non-Māori New Zealanders towards the Māori language. It begins by examining the discursive approach taken in these advertisements, the attitudinal messages they convey about the Māori language and the behaviours they propose for non-Māori New Zealanders. The article then discusses the responses of 80 non-Māori viewers of the advertisements, considering the extent to which they perceived the intended messages of the advertiseme...Abstract It has been claimed that the success of minority language policy initiatives may only be achievable if at least some degree of ‘tolerability’ of these initiatives is secured among majority language speakers. There has, however, been little consideration in the language planning literature of what practical approaches might be used to influence the attitudes of majority language speakers towards minority languages, that is to ‘plan for tolerability’. This article considers the approach taken in two recent television advertisements that address the attitudes and behaviours of non-Māori New Zealanders towards the Māori language. It begins by examining the discursive approach taken in these advertisements, the attitudinal messages they convey about the Māori language and the behaviours they propose for non-Māori New Zealanders. The article then discusses the responses of 80 non-Māori viewers of the advertisements, considering the extent to which they perceived the intended messages of the advertisements and how their responses were influenced by their existing attitudes towards the Māori language. On this basis, the article assesses the potential effectiveness of using language promotion materials as a means of planning for the tolerability of the Māori language among non-Māori New Zealanders.