Factors Influencing language Planing

 Published on November 16, 2017

Fahad Saleem

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Many countries have a language policy designed to favor or discourage the use of a

particular language or set of languages. Although nations historically have used
language policies most often to promote one official language at the expense of others,
many countries now have policies designed to protect and promote regional and ethnic
languages whose viability is threatened. Indeed, whilst the existence of linguistic
minorities within their jurisdiction has often been considered to be a potential threat
to internal cohesion, States also understand that providing language rights to
minorities may be more in their long term interest, as a means of gaining citizens’ trust
in the central government.[1]

Language policy is what a government does either officially through legislation, court

decisions or policy to determine how languages are used, cultivate language skills
needed to meet national priorities or to establish the rights of individuals or groups to
use and maintain languages. The scope of language policy varies in practice from State
to State. This may be explained by the fact that language policy is often based on
contingent historical reasons

THE FACTORS INFLUENCING LANGUAGE PLANNING 

1.   Linguistic factor
Linguistic factors can be regarded as those that are needed to be considered on the part
of a language in relation to other languages. It relates to the status and characters of a
language as well as similarities between languages. Such considerations would inform
why a speech community, a country for instance, would prefer language like English to
language like Chinese. The former has simpler characters as opposed to the
complicated characters of the latter. In Indonesia, for instance, Malay was preferred to
Japanese as a national language because it is less complicated in terms of characters,
though it is a minority language. The status that a language presently enjoys can also
influence its preference as national language of a country. This is why many
multilingual countries in Africa would choose an European language. In terms of
similarities and dissimilarities between languages, it is the case that languages with
common origin do share some similarities and vice versa. If a language lacks adequate
lexicon for day-to-day usage, it is imperative that language planning is done so as to
rectify this anomaly

2.   Political factors

Political factors are considerations that relate the general policy of a country to its
language policy. It is not a gain saying that the Government is the Chief-actor in the
process of language planning. Government uses language planning to achieve its other
aims such as political stability and economic benefits from other nation(s).
Government also provides funds for implementing any language policy. In maintaining
political stability in Nigeria, the Government has always avoided choosing any
indigenous language as the official language in order to prevent geo-political conflicts.
Thus, the highest status any indigenous language has enjoyed is the status of a national
language. The three major Nigeria languages recognized as the national language are:
Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. As an illustration, it was for political-economic reasons that
General Sani Abacha imposed French on the Nigerians during his military regime. He
single-handedly recognized French as an official language just because France
supported his oppressive ruling while the United States and the Commonwealth of
nations opposed it. Also in the time of apartheid in South Africa, the policy which
promoted segregation was supported by the language policy adopted. Such language
planning helped in undermining the language of the South African. Moreover, it is the
responsibility of the (Nigerian) Government to fund the implementation of language
planning, particularly the policy on the use of mother tongue in teaching school
children in the lower primary level. The failure or success of meeting this
responsibility or otherwise is one major way in which politics influences language
planning. A language could also be planned for political reasons
3.   Socio-demographic factor

Socio-demographic factor relates to the numbers of speakers of the languages and their

geographical distribution. The actors in language planning usually consider not only
the majority language but also the minority languages. Thus, ethno linguistic
consideration made Tanzania chose a minority language as a national language. There
are about hundred languages and none of them could compete with the official
language. India chose Hindi as the official language which is language of the northern
majority ethnic group. While that of Tanzania might be said to be partially successful,
India has not succeeded in appeasing the other ethno linguistic groups which continue
to protest the choice of Hidi: [Akinnaso, 1989]. This factor influence language planning
in the sense that if the majority of people for whom the language is being planned do
not speak the language, it will lead to the failure of the language planning process.
Also, if the language planning does not reflect the social lives of the speakers, the
planning process may not see the light of the day. The society and its geographical
distributions in which language planning have to be carried out is a contributing factor
that influences language planning. Since a multilingual society is often not mono-
religion. For instance, since Hausa is very close to the Arabic language (language of
Islam) and subsequently the Islamic religion, choosing Hausa as an official language in
Nigeria may be considered as a way of imposing Islam on Nigerians. Also, for example,
in India, when Hindi was chosen as the national language; speakers of other language
protested because Hindi is associated with the Hindu religion. And also, there have
been wars in Sudan due to the imposition of Arabic language on the people. Language
is also planned so as to foster the spread or a religion. It is related to the use of local
languages in spreading religion

4.   Pedagogical factor

In pedagogical factor, the need for qualitative education also influences language
planning. Since it is being scientifically proven that it is better to teach a child with
his/her mother tongue in his early years. Language policy in Nigeria, for instance, has
always reflected the need for mother tongue in education. This is not just to preserve
culture but also to aid the cognitive ability of the school children.

5.   financial factor

The financial factor has to do with the consideration of finance in the process of

planning a language. Language planning can be financially draining, so adequate
planning of financial resources is essential. What we are actually reiterating here is
that whatever one does is affected by the resources one puts into it and that one of
those resources in language planning that has to be present is the financial resource.
The presence of enough financial resources can make a language planning work as its
absence can equally make it fail. When a government, a group of individuals, or an
individual is making a plan for a language consideration has to be taken of the financial
cost of the plan. For instance, if Nigeria is making a move to make Igbo, Hausa, or
Yoruba a national language, the financial cost of such a move should be consider just
as a husband planning for the use of Yoruba in his home would consider the cost of the
materials (e.g. Yoruba dictionaries, texts written English, etc.) to be used in carrying
out such a plan. So, financial factor is one of those crucial factors that have to be
considered in planning a language.

6.   The people

People who own languages of a particular territory should also be considered in

language planning. If the argument that language is the people who use it is anything
to operate by, then it will never fall out of scope to take an examination on the people
who use the language to be planned for. Here, we look at the history of the people and
try answering some questions such as: what have been the dealings of these people?
Have they once been colonized, enslaved? (a reason which may account for certain
linguistic borrowings in their language)? Have they conquered a group or groups of
people and lorded their ways of life on them? What do this people like? Hunting,
Adventure, etc.? What is the current status of this people? What do these people think
of themselves? What do others think of them? The essence of these raised questions is
to find data on certain information that needs to be considered while planning a
language

7.   Cultural factor

Cultural factor is another factor that can influence language planning. When a
language exists, it does not exist alone, there is a culture attached to it. Culture refers to
the beliefs, the ways of life, the custom, the art, and the social organization of a group
of people. Learning the culture with which a particular language is attached is crucial
to planning such a language especially in corpus planning. For instance, Yoruba
people have respect as an aspect of their culture and this is shown in their language.

THE CONCLUSION:

With everything discussed so far above, it is discovered that language planning is a

careful exercise. Language planners need to pay serious attention to some factors
influencing language planning. Meanwhile, this work has been to justify some of these;
ranging from linguistic factor to economic factor. It is therefore a crucial thing to be
meticulous in analyzing those factors that determine whether the goal of language
planning will be achieved or not. In a nutshell, if factors that influence and motivate
language planning are well considered and addressed such that language is planned
with full regard to those factors, the society will be of high benefit. Take Japan as an
example today Japan as a monolingual state is enjoying high rate of socio-political
development based on their well planned language. Scholars believe Japan is a living
proof of what a brilliant language planning can result to.

REFERENCES:

·        Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 7th edition

Holmes, J (2008)

·        An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. UK: passing education limited

Oyetade S. O. (2003), "Language Planning and Identity Multi–ethnic state."

·        The Majority/Minority Dichotomy. Nudic Journal of African Studies.

Current Language Policy of Pakistan:

Pakistan is a multilingual country. Its national language, Urdu, is the mother tongue of
only 7.57 per cent of the population though it is very widely used in the urban areas of
the country. Pakistan’s official language is still English as it was when the British ruled
the country as part of British India. In addition to this, the country has five major
indigenous languages given below.

Languages: Percentage of speakers

Punjabi: 44.15

Pashto: 15.42

Sindhi:14.10

Siraiki: 10.53
Urdu: 7.57

Balochi: 3.57

Other: 4.66

There have been statements about language policy in various documents in Pakistan—
the different versions of the constitution, statements by governmental authorities in
the legislative assembly debates and, above all, in the various documents relating to
education policy which have been issued by almost every government. These are stated
in the 1973 constitution as follows:

(1) The National language of Pakistan is Urdu and arrangements shall be made for its
being used for official and other purposes within fifteen years from the commencing
day.

(2) Subject to clause (1) the English language may be used for official purposes until
arrangements are made for its replacement by Urdu.

(3) Without prejudice to the status of the National language, a Provincial Assembly may
by law prescribe measures for the teaching, promotion and use of a provincial
language in addition to the national language (Article 251).

The national language is Urdu (it was Urdu and Bengali from 1955 till 1971 when East
Pakistan became Bangladesh) though it is, and has always been, the mother tongue of a
minority of the population of Pakistan. This minority came from India, mostly after the
creation of Pakistan in 1947, and is called Mohajir (refugee or immigrant).

The rationale for this privileging of Urdu, as given by the government of Pakistan, is
that Urdu is so widely spread that it is almost like the first language of all Pakistanis.
Moreover, since most jobs are available through Urdu, it is only just that all children
should be given access to it. Above all, it is a symbol of unity and helps in creating a
unified ‘Pakistani’ identity. In this symbolic role, it serves the political purpose of
resisting ethnicity, which otherwise would break the federation. As for the provision
that other Pakistani languages may be used, it is explained that the state, being
democratic and sensitive to the rights of the federating units, allows the use of
provincial languages if desired.
As for the medium of instruction, the rationale is that Urdu, the most widespread
urban language, is the one used for teaching. As English is the official and international
language, it too is taught at the higher levels especially to those who seek to study
science and technology.

The political consequences of the privileging of Urdu.

The major consequence of the privileging of Urdu has been ethnic resistance to it. As
mentioned before, Urdu is not the mother tongue of most Pakistanis, as census figures
given earlier illustrate. However, Urdu is indeed the most widely understood language
and perhaps the major medium of interaction in the urban areas of the country. Even
ethnic activists agree that it could be a useful link language between different ethnic
groups. However, it has been resisted because it has been patronized, often in
insensitive ways, by the ruling elite at the center.

Conclusion and my Point of view about Pakistan’s Language Policy:

We have seen that the language policies of Pakistan, declared and undeclared, have
increased both ethnic and class conflict in the country. Moreover, our Westernized
elites, in their own interests, are helping the forces of globalization and threatening
cultural and linguistic diversity. In this process they are impoverishing the already
poor and creating much resentment against the oppression and injustice of the system.

Both globalization and the continuation of colonial language policies by the

governments of Pakistan have increased the pressure of English on all other languages.
While this has also created an increased awareness of language rights and movements
to preserve languages, it has generally resulted in more people learning English. In
Pakistan this means that the poor are under more pressure than before because they
cannot afford expensive schools that ‘sell’ English at exorbitant rates. As such,
linguistic globalization is anti-poor, pro-elitist and exploitative.

While it may not be possible to reverse the trend of globalization, it is possible to

promote the concept of additive bilingualism rather than subtractive bilingualism. This
means that we should add to our repertoire of languages to gain power while retaining
skills and pride in our own languages. In order to do this the state and our education
system should promote the concept of linguistic rights.

References:
Abdullah, Syed. 1976. Pakistan Mein Urdu Ka Masla. Lahore: Maktaba Khayaban-e-
Adab.

Ahmad, Rafiuddin. 1981. The Bengali Muslim 1871-1906: A Quest for Identity Delhi:
Oxford UP. 2nd-ed. 1988.

Ahmed, Feroze. 1992. ‘The language question in Sind’. In Zaidi, Akbar S. (ed.) 1992.
Regional Imbalances and the Regional Question in Pakistan. Lahore: Vanguard Books.

Alavi, H. 1987. ‘Pakistan and Islam: ethnicity and ideology’. In Halide, F. & Alavi, H.
(eds.)

1987. State and ideology in the Middle East and Pakistan London: Macmillans and New
York: Monthly Review Press.

Anderson, Benedict. 1983. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and

Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso, Repr. edn. 1991.

Bourdieu, Pierre. 1991. Language and Symbolic Power. (ed.) John B. Thompson. Trans.
From the French by Gino Raymond and Mathew Adamson. Cambridge: Policy Press.
Edition used, 1994 reprint.

Baart, Joan L.G. 1999. A Sketch of Kalam Kohistani Grammar. Islamabad: National
Institute of Pakistan Studies & Summer Institute of Linguistics.

------- 2003. ‘Interview with the Present Author’, 10 August, Islamabad.