Linguapax
Language Policy In East Africa
Autor: Stella 02 January 2012
Table of contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Language planning
2.1 Definition
2.2 Stages of language planning
3.0 Language policy
3.1 Definition
3.2 Types of language policies
3.3 Language policy in east Africa
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Reference
1.0 Introduction
This paper seeks to provide to language teachers, applied linguists(sociolinguists) and students of sociolinguistics with an accessibleoverview of language planning, language policy and their relationship with education. Most languages (English in this case) are growing in importance as international models of communication especially in the fields of commerce science and technology. English as a national language in countries where it functions as a second language is undergoing changes associated with growing feelings of nationalism.
Varieties of English are developing in sub- continents (Indian English) and nations (Nigerian English) which may be far removed from traditional definitions of Standard English, Pidgin English in Papua New Guinea being an example.
Kiswahili as well records varieties as the regions where it is spoken do not exhibit the similarity in phonology. That is why it is said that the coastal Kiswahili of Kenya varies quite significantly with the Kiswahili spoken in Nairobi and the up country.
The developing varieties are being considered or have been adopted as media for education together with indigenous mother tongue vernacular whose speakers are demanding more recognition for their languages. These language developments are a reflection of socioeconomic and political upheavals apparent particularly in developing world as countries strive for modernization and westernization at the same time wishing to preserve their own culture.
This term paper therefore strives at focusing on attempts of various nations especially the east African countries to regulate the use of languages through language planning and language policy.
2.0 Language planning
2.1 Definition
Language planning is a deliberate language change, this is changes in the systems of a language code or speaking or both that are planned by organizations established for such purposes the article developed by cooper and emphasized by Rubin states that language planning must take place in asocial context and that to ignore sociolinguistics factors
such as attitude or needs of groups who will be affected could lead to the failure of language planning program. Cooper suggests that, since one ...
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