ERIC Number: EJ1024269
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1542-7587
EISSN: N/A
Underlying Paradox in the European Union's Multilingualism Policies
Johnson, Fern L.
Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, v10 n4 p288-310 2013
The European Union (EU) has developed comprehensive policies in recent years to promote multilingualism. In this article, major EU policy statements on multilingualism are analyzed to demonstrate how their underlying language ideology produces paradox by both encouraging multilingualism and regulating its definition within the EU. The first section provides conceptual grounding regarding (1) language ideology as the basis for language regulation and language privilege and (2) paradox as a rhetorical trope. The second section provides a brief overview of official EU language policy. The third section examines five key statements of EU language policy and philosophy to demonstrate the nature of paradox as well as the underlying language ideology. The last section considers the multilingualism agenda since 2009, when the organizational arrangement for multilingualism policy and programs was changed in the EU. Recent reports from working groups dealing with multilingualism are discussed, as well as the current challenges facing the EU.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Multilingualism, Language Planning, Language Attitudes, Policy Analysis, Philosophy, Second Language Learning, Intercultural Communication, Futures (of Society)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: European Union
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A