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14 results

Languages in a Globalising World
  • Edited by Jacques Maurais, Michael A. Morris
  • Published online:
    18 November 2009
    Print publication:
    10 April 2003
  • Throughout human history, the fate of languages has been closely linked to political power relationships. Political shifts in the international system continue to affect linguistic patterns, which today are still in a state of flux following the end of the Cold War. This book considers the effects of present-day trends in global politics on the relative status of languages, and the directions in which the linguistic hierarchy might develop in the future. What are the prospects for the continuing spread of English? Will other traditionally prominent languages such as French and German gain or lose influence? Will languages such as Arabic and Japanese increase in international status? Will minority languages continue to lose ground and disappear? The book assesses these prospects, looking at the major world regions, and with its interdisciplinary approach it will appeal to researchers and students of sociolinguistics and language planning as well as of international relations.

  • 2 - Towards a new global linguistic order?

  • Edited by Jacques Maurais, Conseil de la langue française, Québec, Michael A. Morris, Clemson University, South Carolina
  • Book:
    Languages in a Globalising World
    Published online:
    18 November 2009
    Print publication:
    10 April 2003, pp 13-36

  • Summary

    There will be, in the twenty-first century, a major shake-up of the global language hierarchy.

    Graddol (1997, p. 39)

    The idea of dedicating a book to languages in a globalising world, i.e. to their relationships and their competition on the world's checkerboard, is the result of a series of events, such as the reunification of Germany, the break-up of the eastern European bloc of countries, the end of apartheid in South Africa and phenomena that are part of a long-term trend, such as the creation of new economic trading blocs and globalisation. Ignacio Ramonet (1999, pp. 19–20) paints the following portrait of events marking the end of the twentieth century:

    Events of great import – the unification of Germany: the disappearance of the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe; the collapse of the USSR (from inexplicable causes); the United Nations crisis; the abolition of apartheid in South Africa; the end of ‘smouldering wars’ (EI Salvador, Nicaragua, Angola, Afghanistan, Cambodia); radical change in Ethiopia, Guyana, Chile; the end of the Mobutu regime in Congo-Zaire … ; the mutual recognition of Israel and the Palestinians; the renaissance of China and the return of Hong Kong to China; the emergence of India, etc. –totally change the geostrategy of the planet. Still other slower paced but world-shaking events, like the continuation of European construction, also exert a decisive influence on the general flux of the political life of the world and, at the same time, cause a series of multiple upheavals. […]

  • 1 - Introduction

  • Edited by Jacques Maurais, Conseil de la langue française, Québec, Michael A. Morris, Clemson University, South Carolina
  • Book:
    Languages in a Globalising World
    Published online:
    18 November 2009
    Print publication:
    10 April 2003, pp 1-10

  • Summary

    This book, Languages in a globalising world, addresses language changes in the global arena from several interrelated perspectives. Global communication challenges (Part I) are becoming increasingly prominent in a rapidly changing world characterised by rising interdependence. In Part I as well as elsewhere in this volume, theoretical and practical aspects of these challenges are assessed and interrelated. Rising language competition on a global scale varies from geographical region to region as does the spread of the English language (Part II), so that the ongoing impact of globalisation must be examined in general terms as well as from the perspective of the various geographical regions. To a considerable extent, the hierarchy and status of the major languages cut across geographical regions, so that attention must be addressed to them as well (Part III). The status of a number of major languages is analysed as well as how they impact on and are impacted by a rapidly changing international order. The status and resulting hierarchy of major languages encompasses a number of key issues affecting the new global linguistic order. Vitally important as well is how ongoing globalisation affects linguistic diversity or the fate of lesser languages.

    This introduction poses several key considerations about each of the three parts of the book as well as the component chapters of each part. A summary follows about the contribution of each chapter towards the part in which it is located as well as towards furthering the overall purpose of the book.