Sociolinguistics

Chapter 5

National Languages and

Language Planning

Learning Objectives

National and official languages Planning for a national official language The linguist’s role in language planning

National Language

A national language is the language of a political, cultural and social unit. It is used to identify the nation and unite the people of the nation.

Example 1

Guaraní in Paraguay

Exercise 1

Official Language

An official language is simply a language which may be used for government business. Its function is primarily characterised by usefulness rather than symbolic sense.

Example 2

Bislama in Vanuatu

Official status and minority languages

English often shares official status with an indigenous language:

Malay in Malaysia

Swahili in Tanzania

Example 3

What price a national language?

Many countries regarded the development of a single national language as a way of symbolising the unity of a nation.

Planning for a National Official Language

Selection Codification Elaboration Acceptance

Language Planning in Different Countries

Lingua franca as a national official language e.g. Tanzania

Exercise 4 A “H” and a new standard form based on “Ls”

as two competing official languages

e.g. Norway

Exercise 7 Several national languages and official

languages

e.g. India

The linguist’s role in language planning

Codification of orthography Developing vocabulary Acceptance Acquisition planning

Exercise 9

Language Planning in Hong Kong

Historical and political development

Economic development

The impact of historical, political, and economic development on the language situation in Hong Kong

Ordinances on official languages in Hong Kong

Definition problems

The national language

Language policy

Historical and Political Development

1840-1842 First Opium War

1856-1858 Second Opium War

1898 The New Territories and the outlying islands were leased to Britain for 99 years

1997 China resumed sovereignty in Hong Kong

Economic Development

1841 Fishing port

1945-1950s Entrepôt

1960s-1970s Manufacturing hub

1980s-present International financial centre

NyLonKong

Impact on the language situation

The existence of English alongside Chinese, even after China resumed sovereignty in Hong Kong

Ordinances on official languages

1.The Official Languages Ordinance (1974)

2.The Official Languages Ordinance amendment (1987)

3.The Basic Law (1997)

The Official Languages Ordinance (1974)

The official languages possess equal status and, subject to the provisions of this Ordinance, enjoy equality of use for the purposes of communication between the Government or any public officer and members of the public and for court proceedings.

(Chapter 5, Section 3)

The Basic Law (1997)

In addition to the Chinese language, English may also be used as an official by the executive authorities, legislature and judiciary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

(Chapter 1 Article 9)

Definition problems

The variant(s) of spoken and written Chinese are not defined in the legal documents.

Chinese in Hong Kong

Modern Standard Chinese

Putonghua

PU-TONG HUA

普通 話

common language

The National Language

The concept of ‘national language’ was vague to Hong Kong people during the colonial period.

In the post-colonial period, the Hong Kong government starts to promote the national language – Putonghua.

Language Policy

Biliteracy

All children studying at local government-aided schools learn both Chinese and English from Primary 1 for 12 years through the end of senior secondary education.

Trilingualism

Year Percentage

1991 29.4%1996 34.9%2001 39.8%2006 41.9%2011 42.6%

Proportion of the population able to speak English as another language

Source: Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government

Trilingualism

Year Percentage

1991 16.9%1996 24.2%2001 33.3%2006 39.2%2011 46.5%

Proportion of the population able to speak Putonghua as another language

Source: Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government