Trends in language policy

Abstract

"Language policy" has become a hallmark of the modern state, although the linguistic reality within countries makes their positions vary. The French language policy is centralized—in the literal sense—because it is a policy for a single language issued by decrees from the higher authority, implemented by lower authorities, and monitored by governmental agencies. In the United States—at the federal level—there is theoretically a laissez-faire policy, based on the assumption that it is applied in a society presumed to be monolingual, which in reality it is not. Between the centralized policy on one side and the laissez-faire policy on the other, there are various patterns of language policy, with examples found in national European countries, India, and the former Soviet Union.

Therefore, language policy is organized, and one of its most important concepts is the "national language." It seems that the earliest use of this term was in French in 1726 when Rollin wrote the first plan for studying the national language, which at that time in France referred to the French language, not Latin or local dialects.

Studying the linguistic system is undoubtedly important, and linguistics—in the precise sense—does that. However, it is not enough to understand the reality of language use in society. These topics are currently classified under sociolinguistics, anthropological linguistics, the study of language and religion, and language and values. These topics represent important aspects when formulating language policy.