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Multilingualism for all:
European Language Policy &
Frisian Language Planning
Language Vitality – Multilingualism and
Language Planning
September 17, 2012
Alex RIEMERSMA
Mercator European Research Centre on
Multilingualism and Language Learning
www.mercator-research.eu
Overview of presentation
 - Linguistic Diversity
 - Scope of European Language Policies
 - Language Vitality
 - Frisian in Education
 - Language Policies & Planning
Linguistic Diversity
 Globe: 6,000 Languages (in oral use)
 600 à 700 Languages
with basic infrastructure:
Orthography, Dictionary, Grammar Book
 475 Languages
with complete Bible translation +
1,240 languages with New Testament +
823 languages with (small) part of Bible
Linguistic Diversity
 United Nations (195 member states):
6 working languages
 Council of Europe (47 member states):
6 working languages
> numerous minority languages
 European Union (27 member states):
23 official languages
> 60 Regional and Minority Languages
> 175 Immigrant Languages
Kaart fan NOS
Language versus Dialect
 Linguistic Distance in terms of:
vocabulary, phonology, morphology, syntax
 Language infrastructure such as:
legislation, provisions, organisation
 Language planning:
Corpus planning
Status planning
Planning of Transmission / Education
Unesco Language Vitality (2003)
What makes Frisian / Valencian
a vital language ?
Language Vitality Planning
 Balance of community language will
and infrastructure / programmes on:
 Corpus planning / standardisation
 Status planning / legislation
 Language transmission / learning
 Fryske Akademy – 1938
Wurdboek - Dictionary
Fryske Akademy / Linguistics
 Language Databases
 Scientific Dictionary Frysk – Dutch
 Standardisation:
orthography and grammar
 Frysk-Frysk dictionary =
Frisian monolingual dictionary
 Survey on Frisian language
Frisian Language Vitality
 Language command of all 640.00
inhabitants province of Fryslân:
94 % Understanding
74 % Speaking
65 % Reading
26 % Writing
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 54 % Frisian Mother tongue (350.000)
Frisian in Education
 Pre-school: > 100 Frisian medium &
bilingual provisions
 Primary school: obligatory subject
> 100 schools use “clil”
> 43 trilingual schools: integrated
Dutch, Frisian & English
 Secondary education: obligatory
subject; optional exam subject
Frisian in Education
 Secondary education:
obligatory subject
optional exam subject
concept of multilingual clil
 Teacher training (pabo): additional
special courses (7 ECTS; 9 ECTS)
 Teacher training (secondary): regular
bachelor & master training
Frisian in Education
 Development from
transitional bilingualism >
“full bilingualism, biliteracy” (Fishman)
 Results:
awareness and language attitude
equal command Dutch
much better command Frisian
self confidence in English
EU Language Policies
 EU shall respect Linguistic Diversity:
“all languages are equal and equally treated”
 23 official languages, but in fact …
3, 2 or 1 working language
 Education: Mother tongue + two,
but in fact national language + one
EU Language Policy
 EU programs in favour of English
 Principle of “subsidiarity”
is in favour of national languages
 Process of “mainstreaming”
prevents EU Language Policy & discourages
vitality of RMLs & IMLs
RML + IML citizens in EU
 > 10% of EU population =
 45 – 50 million plurilingual people
 Present in all member states =
 Multilingual societies >>>
 Co-responsibility for language planning
 of EU/Coe, national and regional level
Charter for Regional and Minority
Languages (CoE / 1998)
 25 ratifications (< 47 CoE member states)
 13 ratifications (< 27 EU member states)
 Key words: To protect and to promote
 Part II: General objectives:
Non-discrimination
right on language transmission
Charter for Regional and Minority
Languages (CoE / 1998)
 Part III: Menu-system of undertakings in
the Domains:
education (pre-school … higher education)
justice / public services /
media / culture /
economic and social life /
cross border exchanges
EU Language Policy
 EU shall respect … linguistic diversity
 European Charter for Regional and
Minority Languages of the
Council of Europe (1998)
used as entry exam for
new EU member states (2004; 2007)
Unesco Language Vitality (2003)
Language Vitality factors (6)
 Intergenerational transmission
 Absolute number of speakers
 Proportion of speakers within total
population
 Trends in existing domains
 Response to new domains & media
 Materials for Education and Literacy
Language Vitality factors (3)
 Governmental and Institutional
Language Attitudes & Politics
 Community Member’s Attitudes towards
their own languages
 Documentation (& corpus planning)
Degrees of Endangerment
 5: safe
The language is used by all ages, from children up.
 4: unsafe


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The language is used by some children in all
domains; it is used by all children in limited domains.
3: definitively endangered
The language is used mostly by the parental
generation and up.
2: severely endangered
The language is used mostly by the grandparental
generation and up.
1: critically endangered
The language is used mostly by very few speakers,
of great-grandparental generation.
0: extinct There exists no speaker.
Language Vitality Planning
 Balance of community language will
and infrastructure / programmes on:
 Corpus planning / standardisation
 Status planning / legislation
 Language transmission / learning
EU Parliament Resolutions
 1981 Arfé > EBLUL 1982 – 2006
 1983 Jaak Vandenmeulenbroecke) >
earmarked budget line € 1,2 million
 1987 Willy Kuijpers > Mercator project
(1987-2006) 3 partners (80 % funding)
 2004 Michael Ebner > EU Agency on
Linguistic Diversity (failed)
EU Commission Actions
 Budget line for EBLUL 1982 – 2006;
 Budget line for Mercator project
(1987-2006) 3 partners
 Action Programme (2004-2006)
 2001: European Year of Languages
 2005: Feasibility Study > Networks
EU Commission Actions
 2007: High Level Group Multilingualism
+ on line consultation
 2008: EU Communication
 2008: Amin Maalouf Report
A Rewarding Challenge
(adoptive language)
 2011: Civil Society Platform on
Multilingualism
EU funded Networks
 2008-2011: Network to Promote
Linguistic Diversity (NPLD):
11 regional authorities & 16 NGO’s
 2009-2011: Mercator Network
 2009-2011: RML2future
 2010-2012: European Network of
Universities on Multilingualism (EUNoM)
Coherent EU Language Policy
 Legal base / treaty partner to
European Charter for RML
 Vitality & empowerment of all languages
 Co-responsibility in stead of
“subsidiarity”
 Incentive to inclusiveness of RML / IML
 Partnership to permanent networks of
stakeholders for regular strategic review
EU fitting Programmes
 Linguistic Diversity as a priority
 Co-operation between EU and the
Council of Europe & ECML (= European
Centre for Modern Languages in Graz)
 National EU Agencies to raise
awareness and assist endangered
language communities to apply
Research Agenda
 Eurobarometer on Languages to
include:
Mother tongue + father tongue
 Multilingual education: continuity &
common standards
 Media >>> Social media
 Plurilingual Literacy
Application of CoE instruments
 Common European Framework of
Reference (CEFR):
- can do – statements for L1, L2, Lf
- parallel assessments of L1, L2, Lf
 European Language Portfolio:
- electronic
- plurilingual approach
Common Standards Education
 Mercator Analysis & Recommendations
(2007):
- Informed choice & access
- Educational goals
- Teaching time (subject & medium)
- Teaching materials
- Teacher training
- Inspectorate
Plurilingual Teacher Training
 Subject & medium
 Continuity of teaching & learning
 School as centres of excellence
 Plurilingual language pedagogy
 Minor (30 ECTS) in bachelor
 Master (60 ECTS) on Multilingualism and
multilingual education

• Köszönöm
Tankewol
• Eskerrik asko
• Grazia
• Mercé plan
• Dankscheen
• Graciis
• Kiitos
• Diolch
• Hvala
• Trugarez
• Dz'akuju so
• Merci
• Multumesc
• Mange Takk