Language planning

Language planning is the deliberate attempt to influence the language habits of a community, typically in
order to promote language standardization, language maintenance, or language shift.
Levels of language planning

There are three main levels of language planning:

Micro-level language planning: This involves the management of linguistic features within individual
communities. This can include efforts to standardize language within a community, promote
multilingualism, or preserve endangered languages.
Meso-level language planning: This involves the management of linguistic features within regions or
groups of communities. This can include efforts to develop educational systems and policies that promote
language proficiency, or the creation of legal frameworks that protect the rights of language minorities.
Macro-level language planning: This involves the management of linguistic features at the national or
international level. This can include efforts to promote a national language policy, establish a standard
language, or develop language technology.
All levels interact and coordinate with each other in order to achieve the goals of language planning.
Types of Language planning
This process that can be classified into three main types: status planning, corpus planning, and acquisition
planning.
Status planning: this type of language planning involves efforts to change the social status or prestige of
a language or a variety of a language. For example, a government may decide to promote the use of a
minority language in order to preserve its cultural heritage.
Corpus planning: this type of language planning involves efforts to create or reform the vocabulary,
grammar, or orthography of a language. For example, the French Academy was established in the 17th
century to create a standard French language and to promote its use throughout France.

Acquisition planning: this type of language planning involves efforts to provide language education and
to create opportunities for language learning. For example, in Canada, bilingual education programs have
been established in order to promote the use of French and English as official languages.
Stages of language planning
The process of language planning typically involves several stages, including:
Selection: This is the stage at which the goals and objectives of language planning are identified and
chosen. For example, a government might decide that it wants to increase the use of a particular language
in order to promote national unity.
Codification: This stage involves the development of standard forms of the language and the creation of
linguistic norms. For example, a group of language experts might work to create a standardized spelling
system for a language.
Elaboration: This stage involves the development of materials and resources for the language, such as
dictionaries, grammars, and text books. For example, a publisher might produce a series of text books for
schools that teach a standardized version of a language.
Implementation: This stage involves the actual implementation of the language planning policies and the
distribution of materials and resources. For example, a government might require that all schools teach a
standardized version of a language and provide teachers with the necessary materials and resources.
Acceptance: The final stage of language planning is the acceptance and use of the standardized language
by the speech community. This stage can be difficult as it requires changing people’s behavior and
attitude towards using the standardized language.
Language planning and policy
Language planning and policy refer to the deliberate and systematic efforts to influence the behavior of a
speech community with regards to language use. These efforts can take various forms, including the
creation of language policies, the development of language standards, and the implementation of
educational programs. The goal of language planning and policy is typically to promote the use of a
particular language or language variety, or to preserve endangered languages.

Language planning can be divided into two main types: status planning and corpus planning. Status
planning aims to change the social status or prestige of a language or language variety, whereas corpus
planning aims to change the linguistic structure of a language or language variety.
Language policy refers to the decisions made by governments and other organizations regarding which
languages should be used in various domains and for various purposes. Some examples of language
policies include:
Official language policies, which determine which language(s) should be used for official purposes such
as government documents, public signs, and court proceedings.
Bilingual or multilingual education policies, which determine which languages should be taught in
schools and to what degree.
Language-in-education policies, which determine the language(s) used in the classroom, as well as what
should be taught about language in the curriculum.
Language planning and policy are closely related, and often involve a combination of both status and
corpus planning. The success of a language planning and policy program depends on how well it is
implemented, as well as on factors such as the political and social context, and the attitudes and behaviors
of the speech community.
Decision making and language planning
Decision making in language planning involves the selection and implementation of language policies
and programs. It can be done by government agencies, language academies, or other organizations that
have the power to influence language use. It can be a controversial process as different groups may have
competing interests and values regarding language use.
Linguistic assimilation refers to the process by which individuals or groups adopt the language of the
dominant culture or society in which they live. This can occur as a result of social, economic, or political
pressure, and can lead to the loss of an individual or group’s native language or dialect.
Linguistic pluralism, on the other hand, refers to the coexistence of multiple languages or dialects within
a society or community. This can be the result of immigration or colonization, and can lead to a diverse
linguistic landscape.
Vernacularization refers to the process by which a language or dialect that is not the standard or official
language of a society becomes widely spoken and accepted. This can occur as a result of social or cultural
factors, and can lead to the development of a distinct vernacular that is different from the standard
language.
Internationalism refers to the promotion and use of a language that is spoken by a large number of
people across multiple countries. This can include languages like English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and
Arabic, and can be promoted through education, media, and other forms of communication. The goal of
internationalism is to promote greater understanding and communication between people from different
cultures and countries.
Societal issues that can arise in language planning include questions of language rights, language
policies, and language education. Language rights refer to the legal and constitutional guarantees that
individuals and communities have to use their preferred language. Language policies refer to the laws and
regulations that govern the use of language in society. Language education refers to the teaching of
language in schools and other educational institutions. Societal issues that can arise in language planning
can also include questions of linguistic diversity, language standardization, and language preservation.
Language differences in the classroom can pose a variety of challenges for educators and students.
When students come from diverse linguistic backgrounds, it can be difficult for educators to provide
instruction that is accessible to all students. This is particularly true in settings where the majority
language spoken in the classroom differs from the home language of many students.
In such cases, teachers may need to use bilingual or multilingual teaching methods, such as using both the
majority and minority languages in instruction, or providing translation and interpretation services. This
can be difficult to implement effectively, particularly in settings where resources are limited.
Additionally, linguistic diversity in the classroom can also raise issues related to language rights. Students
have right to have their language respected and not discriminate. Teachers might be not able to
understand student’s language and unable to help them well.
Moreover, there may be issues related to language standardization, in which the majority language or a
common language is emphasized and other languages are deemphasized. This can create an inequitable
learning environment for students who are not proficient in the majority language, and can lead to
linguistic marginalization and loss of linguistic heritage.

Therefore, it is important that educators are aware of and sensitive to the linguistic diversity in their
classrooms, and that they have the resources and support they need to effectively address the challenges
that language differences can pose in the classroom.
Bilingualism as a societal issue
Bilingualism can be a societal issue in some contexts, particularly where one language is considered more
valuable or prestigious than another. In these situations, speakers of the less valued language may face
discrimination or be pressured to assimilate and abandon their native language. This can lead to the loss
of cultural identity and can also limit educational and economic opportunities.
Another possible societal issue related to bilingualism is the language gap between different groups of
people. In a society where not everyone speaks the same language, there may be communication
difficulties and misunderstandings between different groups, which can lead to social tension and
inequality. Additionally, in some countries where multilingualism is not widespread, there may be lack of
support for people who wish to become bilingual or multilingual, in terms of language education and
other resources.
Immersion and submersion
Immersion in language planning refers to the strategy of using a specific language (such as a minority or
regional language) as the primary means of instruction in educational settings. This approach is often
used to promote the use and preservation of endangered languages, or to improve fluency in a language
spoken by a large portion of the population. For example, in Canada, many schools offer immersion
programs in French for English-speaking students.
Submersion, on the other hand, refers to the strategy of using a dominant language (such as a national
language) as the primary means of instruction in educational settings, regardless of the students’ first
language. This approach is often used to promote assimilation and integration of minority language
speakers into the dominant culture. For example, in the United States, many schools use English as the
primary language of instruction for students whose first language is not English.
In both cases, the goal is to improve fluency in the targeted language, but the approaches and the intended
outcomes are quite different.
Semilinguism
Semilinguism refers to the use of language that is partway between one language and another, such as a
mixture of languages or dialects. It can also refer to the use of multiple languages or dialects within a
single discourse or text.
Examples of semilinguism include:
Spanglish, which is a mixture of Spanish and English spoken primarily in the United States and other
parts of Latin America.
Pidgin English, which is a simplified form of English used as a common language in multilingual
communities, such as in parts of Africa and the Pacific islands.
Creole languages, which are often developed as a simplified form of the colonial language and the
indigenous languages of a region.
Code-switching, which refers to the alternation between two or more languages or dialects within a
single conversation or discourse.
Koiné languages, which is a simplified language used as common language between groups that speak
different languages.