Worldwide, there are almost 6,800 languages in 228 countries and approximately 200 languages that have more than one million native speakers. There are even less official nation states existing, according to various sources between 192 and 195. Obviously, not every single country or nation state exclusively contains citizens speaking only one language and we don’t need to seek out long, but instead take a look to member states of the European Union (EU) as there are countries like Belgium, Luxembourg and Ireland that are officially tri- and/or bilingual.
On one hand, this suggests the existence of a considerately strong movement of native speakers among the respective country’s citizens that are not willing to accept merely one mother language (as is the case in Ireland, where both Irish and English are officially recognized idioms). On the other hand, it might indicate the existence of a potential language conflict situation – and indeed there are multilingual nation states in which this proves to be the case. There are many such examples throughout the world, e.g. Belgium, Spain and its various autonomous communities) or the Canadian province Québec. In fact, established nation states are threatened to break in part due to their citizens speaking utterly different languages and instead of just one with varying accents and/or dialects. So how do countries deal with these issues? What are the possible consequences of using more than one official language among an established nation state and how might this shape the citizens’ perception and consciousness on a wider range?
At a glance
- Grade: 1.0 (1.0 is the best grade)
- Examines Québec, Belgium, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as cases
Contents
1. Multilingualism and language conflict
2. Québec
3. Belgium
4. The Baltic states
5. Multilingualism and the European Union
Objectives and Themes
This essay examines how multilingual nation states respond to language-related tensions and asks how their linguistic situations might affect their future and European political unity. It considers the relationship between language, national identity, historical change and the possibility of separation.
- Language and national identity
- French and English in Québec
- Language communities and political tensions in Belgium
- Language legislation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
- Multilingualism and European integration
Excerpt from the Book
MULTILINGUALISM WITHIN NATION STATES AND THE DANGER OF SEPARATION.
A somewhat similar and still different situation has been meanwhile developing on the other side of the Atlantic, in Western Europe. Belgium, one of the founding member states of the EU might possibly be heading towards a referendum on separation itself. What is the situation like in comparison to Canada/Québec? First of all there are three official languages: Dutch (or Flemish), French and German; of its 10.8 million inhabitants about 6.5 million speak Dutch, 4 million French as their mother tongue. Dutch and French are predominantly spoken in northern Flanders and southern Wallonia, respectively and the Brussels Capital Region is officially bilingual. There is an ongoing governmental conflict for the time being caused by insurmountable differences considering socio-economical issues in the two major regions. However, unlike in Canada it is claimed that “[t]here have never been any real conflicts between Belgian (Walloon and Flemish) people, as opposed to conflicts between Belgian politicians”. Also, whereas there likely are considerable cultural differences between franco- and anglophones in Canada, the situation looks a little different in Belgium. It is argued, there would be something like a Belgian identity which does not conflict with the different idioms spoken in Belgium, which in turn “may well be one of the least nationalistic countries in the world”. So might there be something connecting among the small country’s cititzens that stands well beyond the different idioms spoken? Historically spoken, the part of Belgium that is economically better off, had been either looking down on the other or even prefers to become independent. It had first been the Walloon region in the 19th centruy that was rather well off due to natural ressources, but when “some of the resources ran out in the French-speaking south, the north quickly became the wealthier region” which it is until today. Here parallels to Québec are recognizable – is it after all not so much the language that separates people, but the wealth?
Chapter Summaries
1. Multilingualism and language conflict: The opening introduces multilingual nation states and asks how language differences relate to conflict, identity and political unity.
2. Québec: The essay traces tensions between French and English, language legislation and the development of Québec nationalism.
3. Belgium: The discussion considers Belgium’s language communities, regional economic differences and political tensions in comparison with Québec.
4. The Baltic states: The author examines language laws after independence and their implications for Russian-speaking minorities in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
5. Multilingualism and the European Union: The final discussion considers federalism, bilingualism and the potential role of a common language in Europe.
Keywords
multilingualism, nation states, language conflict, national identity, separation, Québec, Belgium, Baltic states, language policy, linguistic minorities, bilingualism, European Union
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this essay about?
It explores the relationship between multilingualism, national identity and the risk of political separation in several nation states.
What are its central themes?
The essay addresses language rights, linguistic minorities, nationalism, language legislation and European integration.
What is the main research question?
It asks how states deal with language tensions and how their linguistic situations may affect their future and European political unity.
What method does the author use?
The author uses a comparative discussion of selected countries and draws on published sources. The essay does not describe an original survey or interview study.
What does the main discussion cover?
It examines Québec, Belgium and the Baltic states, relating their language situations to history, legislation and political tensions.
Which keywords characterize the essay?
Key terms include multilingualism, national identity, language policy, linguistic minorities, bilingualism and European integration.
How does the essay discuss Québec’s language laws?
It traces legislation from the Lavergne Law to the French Language Charter and considers the position of French within Canada.
Why are the Baltic states compared with Québec?
The essay discusses a comparison between Estonia’s language legislation and Québec’s French Language Charter, focusing on the relationship between a local majority language and a language dominant in a broader federation.
What role does Belgium play in the discussion of Europe?
Belgium serves as a case through which the author considers regional political tensions and the challenges of maintaining a multilingual political community.
- Citation du texte
- Gordon Wagner (Auteur), 2011, Multilingualism within Nation States and the Danger of Separation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/171585
