La intervenció lingüística de l'Administració en l'àmbit socioeconòmic

Abstract

Among the many and varied types of possible government interventions on behalf of language revival, this paper describes promotion measures, language obligations and pubic contracting policies. It would seem a commonplace to affirm that promotion measures, understood as those that promote specific behaviors in government institutions and users of government services without constraining them to necessarily behave in the way being promoted, are the most peacefully accepted. Mandatory performance measures on behalf of minority languages are, on the other hand, the most controversial throughout Spain. This type of measures is generally not implemented in minority language protection policies. These measures obviously call for regulations having the formal status of a law, whose infringement would entail sanctions. The measures involve establishing the mandatory presence of the language with a view towards reviving it in those areas believed to hold potential for a significant increase in language use, without harming any sector of society or, most importantly, violating any civil right. Perhaps the measures least taken into account so far, elsewhere and here in Catalonia, despite their basically peaceful character and their significant potential for positive change in minority languages, are those having to do with government purchasing and contracting in every sector. The article describes the way the three types of measures are regulated and, in some cases, enforced, in Catalonia. It then makes an assessment of the three, from which possible proposals for action are derived.