MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL: EDUCATION

REG NO: BEDA/2023/48497

NAME: FRANCIS MAINA MWANGI

UNIT CODE:BLA 2212

UNIT TITLE:STYLISTIC AND LITERARY TECHNIQUES

DATE SUBMITTED: 8/3/2024

Question 1:

Describe any TWO principal goals of language planning (4 marks)

Principal Goals of Language Planning

Language planning involves deliberate efforts to influence the function, structure, or acquisition
of languages within a speech community. The principal goals of language planning, as outlined
by Kaplan and Baldauf, encompass various objectives aimed at shaping language use and
development within societies.

Selection of Languages for Curriculum:

One primary goal of language planning is to determine which languages should be taught within
educational curricula. This decision-making process involves selecting languages that align with
the educational objectives and linguistic diversity of a society. By choosing appropriate
languages for instruction, language planners aim to promote effective communication, cultural
understanding, and multilingualism within educational setting

Allocation of Functions to Different Languages:

Another significant goal in language planning is the allocation of functions and roles to different
languages within a society. This aspect, known as status planning, involves designating the
official, national, or minority language status to various languages based on their importance and
usage within the community. By assigning specific functions to different languages, language
planners aim to maintain linguistic diversity, preserve cultural heritage, and ensure effective
communication across different language groups

Question 2:

Discuss the relationship between ethnolinguistic vitality and the processes of language
maintenance and shift. (6 marks)

Ethnolinguistic vitality pertains to the robustness and well-being of a language community,

encompassing various social, economic, and political factors that influence the preservation or
decline of a language within a specific group.
Language Maintenance:

 Language maintenance involves the concerted efforts of a community to ensure the

ongoing usage and transmission of their language across successive generations.

 It involves efforts to sustain the use and relevance of a particular language within a
community. Factors such as family relations, institutional support, demographic
characteristics, and ethnic identity influence the vitality of a language within a group.

 The presence of non-English speakers in immigrant families, intergenerational language

transmission, and positive attitudes towards heritage languages are key aspects that
contribute to language maintenance

 Effective language maintenance strategies, such as offering formal education in the

language, incorporating it into media and literature, and integrating it into community and
religious activities, often align with high levels of ethnolinguistic vitality.

 Positive attitudes towards the language, a sense of cultural pride, and feelings of
belonging among speakers all contribute to language maintenance endeavors.

 Successful language maintenance is typically associated with stable or growing speaker

populations, intergenerational language transmission, and the safeguarding of linguistic
diversity within the community.

Language Shift:

 Language shift occurs when individuals gradually relinquish their ancestral language in
favor of another language, usually one perceived to possess higher social status or greater
economic utility.

 Language shift occurs when a community transitions from using their heritage language
to adopting another dominant language. Factors like the concentration of speakers,
domains of language use, ethnic schools, media representation, and institutional support
influence the ethnolinguistic vitality necessary for language maintenance.
  The strength of ethnic identity, demographic characteristics, and institutional backing
play significant roles in determining whether a language is maintained or undergoes shift
towards another dominant language

 Urbanization, globalization, migration, and the predominance of a majority language in

education, media, and governance are among the factors driving language shift.

 Negative perceptions of the heritage language, perceived benefits of using the dominant
language socially or economically, and the absence of institutional support for the
heritage language can accelerate language shift.

 Language shift often leads to a reduction in ethnolinguistic vitality, declining speaker

numbers, and ultimately, the endangerment or extinction of the language.

Relationship between Ethnolinguistic Vitality and Language Maintenance/Shift:

 Ethnolinguistic vitality plays a pivotal role in determining whether a language

community prioritizes language maintenance or undergoes language shift.

 Languages exhibiting high levels of ethnolinguistic vitality are more likely to be

maintained, as speakers actively invest in initiatives aimed at preserving and passing on
the language to future generations.

 Conversely, languages with low ethnolinguistic vitality are susceptible to language shift,
as speakers may perceive limited value in maintaining the language and may prioritize
acquiring and using dominant languages for social or economic advancement.

 Policies and interventions designed to bolster ethnolinguistic vitality, such as fostering

positive attitudes towards the language, supporting language revitalization initiatives, and
allocating resources for language education and literacy, can help counteract language
shift and contribute to the long-term sustainability of minority languages.

Reference

 Pauwels, A. (2016). Language Maintenance and Shift. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press

 Pauwels, A. (2004). Language maintenance. In A. Devis & C. Elder (Eds.), The

handbook of applied linguistics (pp. 719-737). Malden, MA: Blackwell
 Mukherjee, A. (1996). Language Maintenance and Language Shift: Punjabis and
Bengalis in Delhi. New Delhi: Bahari Publications