Rasprave Instituta za Hrvatski Jezik i Jezikoslovlje (Jan 2017)
On language status from the bottom-up and top-down on the example of Croatian in Slovakia
Abstract
Language policy is conducted at various levels, from international and governmental institutions through local governmental bodies to the individuals who are making decisions regarding language usage. In multilingual environments language policy issues become much more complex and more sensitive. In such environments two and/or more languages are in a direct contact and are often used alternately, making the domains of their usage very restricted. In the European context the relationship between particular languages, especially the position, status and the usage of minority languages are regulated by various laws, treaties and similar documents. It should be pointed out that the language usage is not regulated exclusively by legal acts and documents; it is rather under the strong influence of local and individual practices, language attitudes and ideologies of the community in question (Spolsky 2009). Language policies and language management should therefore include an examination of language status and language usage in a community and on an individual level. The examination of attitudes and ideas about language and its usage, status and position in the community of the speakers, i.e. emic or insider perspective, is an important part of this research. Main goal was to detect whether the language and political practice is in accordance with the real situation, i.e. whether the experience, attitudes and perceptions of our informants confirm the official institutional policy. The metalinguistic discourses gained through interviews are analysed.
