New perspectives on language policies: the weight of languages

Abstract

A language policy needs a precise description of reality. The « baromètre Calvet des langues du monde», which in its 2010 version takes into account the statistical analysis of ten discriminating factors, provides us with a panorama of the « weight » of languages. As such, it is a most helpful decision tool for in vitro interventions on linguistic situations. Besides, a prospective reflexion about these situations shows us that, in the context of globalisation, a language policy cannot limit itself to the mere frontiers of a state, but that it should also take into account the world language situation. Then only can a language policy for linguistic diversity be devised. --- Original in French

Keywords

• Peso das línguas
• política linguística
• sociolinguística
• globalização
• diversidade linguística