Multilingualism

PhD at the University of the Basque Country, MA Multilingualism at the University of Groningen. Interests: linguistic diversity, minority languages, multilingual education, sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics.

[multilingualismo]

The brain doesn’t have a native language. The brain can only reflect the fact that a set of neural circuits was built and activated for a certain period of time. Nor does the brain care if those neural circuits map onto things the rest of the world calls languages or dialects.

Erard 2012, 159

[multilingualismo]

There is a limited developmental period during which it is possible to acquire a language, be it L1 or L2, to normal, nativelike levels. Once this window of opportunity is passed, however, the ability to learn languages declines.

Birdsong, 1999, on critical period hypothesis

Do you agree?

[multilingualismo]

Un pedido

¡Hola chic@s! Estoy buscando hablantes nativos de español, entre 18 a 30 años, a quienes les gustaría participar en un experimento corto, online y con fines lingüísticos (más o menos 15 minutos). Su ayuda será muy apreciada. Para acceder al experimento, haga clic en uno de los enlaces: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1451211/UCF-Ozogul-ENrl http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1439492/UCF-Ozogul-rlEN

[multilingualismo]

'On the one hand we encourage and promote the study of foreign languages for English monolinguals, at great cost and with great inefficiency. At the same time we destroy the linguistic gifts that children from non-English language backgrounds bring to our schools’ (Ovando, 1990). It is thus ironic that many US and UK students spend time in school learning some of the very languages that children of immigrants are pressurized to forget (Ricento, 2009).

[multilingualismo]

While English is a major language, it only accounts for around 30% of the world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and is likely to account for less in the future. Neglecting other languages means ignoring quite significant potential markets.

Davis (2003)

[multilingualismo]

‘Linguistic diversity!’ But… a number of publications only exist in two or three languages, sometimes English only.

[multilingualismo]

Why preserve languages?

'When languages and cultures die, the testimony of human intellectual achievement is lessened.’ (Baker, 2001)

e.g. Knowledge about medicinal plants in Mexico die because nuanced vocabulary is not translatable to Spanish. (Maffi, 1994)

[wildernessinme]

"To give millions a knowledge of English is to enslave us." Gandhi. Robert Phillipson’s debate on language planning. Abram de Swaan’s counter argument, on the other hand, was that speaking English liberates us. Fierce discussion.

[multilingualismo]

Linguistic imperialism entails unequal exchange and unequal communicative rights between people or groups defined in terms of their competence in specific languages, with unequal benefits as a result, in a system that legitimates and naturalises such exploitation.

Robert Phillipson, Linguistic Imperialism

[multilingualismo]

All language communities are entitled to have at their disposal all the human and material resources necessary to ensure that their language is present to the extent they desire at all levels of education within their territory: properly trained teachers, appropriate teaching methods, text books, finance, buildings and equipment, traditional and innovative methodology.

Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights, Article 25

[multilingualismo]

Trends of linguistic diversity

•5,000 - 7,000 languages are spoken on earth •Some 250 languages are spoken by 97% of the world’s people •More than half the world’s languages are believed to be spoken by fewer than 10,000 people •Over 80% of these minority languages are confined to a single country •The geographical distribution of languages, like the distribution of biodiversity, is very uneven: some parts of the world have far more languages per speaker than is the average. The largest scale of linguistic diversity is found on the island of New Guinea The global initiative Biodiversity Indicators Partnership www.twentyten.net

[wildernessinme]

Hey folks, I study MA Multilingualism at the University of Groningen, and I just created a page where I will share content related to linguistic diversity, minority languages, multilingual education, sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics. This way I’ll be able to keep my personal and academic lives apart.

So yes, follow me on cylinguist.tumblr.com if you are interested in the broad field of multilingualism.

[multilingualismo]

Frisian

Frisian (Frysk, Dutch: Fries [ˈfris]) is a West Germanic language spoken in the province of Friesland (Fryslân) in the north of the Netherlands. Dutch is the official language of the Netherlands. In addition, Frisian is recognised as the second official language in the province of Friesland. The province has 643,000 inhabitants (2005); for over half of them, Frisian is the native language. All speakers are bilingual. Old Frisian bear a striking similarity to Old English. One rhyme demonstrates this palpable similarity: "Bread, butter and green cheese is good English and good Friese," and in Frisian: "Brea, bûter, en griene tsiis is goed Ingelsk en goed Frysk." It is used in many domains of Frisian society, among which are education, legislation, and administration. Language Planning or Policy ›Kneppelfreed: 1951: Frisian language activists, protesting the exclusive use of Dutch in the courts, started a riot in Leeuwarden, the capital of Fryslân. ›Frisian can be used as Medium of Instruction in primary schools: 1974 ›Frisian was made obligatory in secondary education: 1993 ›Ratification of European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML) (Frisian level III): 1996 ›Framework Convention National minorities: 2005 ›NL Constitution: 2010 Attitudes towards Frisian -"Frisian is the language of peasants." (rurality, tradition etc.) -"I don’t speak proper Frisian." -"My grandparents spoke better Frisian than I do." Language vitality and language promotion activities There are many efforts to revitalize and promote the use of Frisian. The founding of the Frisian Academy (Fryske Akademy) was a big step for the language and hopefully it means an end to its decline and also its rural associations by most Dutch speakers. The Provincial House, Afûk and Tresoar also play an important role in the protection and promotion of Frisian.