PLANNING FOR LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY
Romaine, S. 2006. Planning for the survival of linguistic
diversity. Language Policy, 5: 441-473.
1. What is the estimated percentage of world
languages in danger of extinction within the next
100 years?
2. What is the definition of language shift? In what kind of circumstances does it
take place? (443-444)
3. What is Fishman’s solution to language shift? (442)
4. What is Romaine’s criticism regarding the RLS theory and the concept of
time? (444)
5. What factor determines whether a community will undergo lg shift or whether
lg maintenance will succeed? (449)
6. What contributed to the maintenance of
Yiddish? (449)
French in Quebec? (450)
7. Why isn’t the diglossia model appropriate for the stabilization of endangered
languages? (p.453)
8. What does it mean that ‘the first causes in lg loss are not themselves
linguistic’? (456-457)
9. Why is it difficult for post-colonial countries to get rid of the
dominating colonial language (in the majority of cases
English)? (460)
10.
According to Romaine, is intergenerational
transmission the only way to preserve endangered lgs ? (464465)
Discuss:
‘...[T]he main value for many small lgs in the future may well be symbolic and
cultural rather than practical .... [they will] become primary vehicles for the
articulation of identity’ (465)
What does it mean? Do you agree with Romaine?