Jeroen Darquennes | Université de Namur (University of Namur) (original) (raw)

Papers by Jeroen Darquennes

Gemessen am Rest der Welt ist der Anteil Europas an der globalen Sprachenvielfalt eher gering. Na... more Gemessen am Rest der Welt ist der Anteil Europas an der globalen Sprachenvielfalt eher gering. Nach Haarmann (2006: 335) beheimatet Europa lediglich etwa 2,2% der geschätzten 6.417 einheimischen Sprachen der Welt. Beschränkt man sich auf die Europäische Union, dann verringert sich die Zahl der einheimischen Sprachen um ein weiteres. Neben den 23 Amtssprachen der EU und einer "Vielzahl" an nichteinheimischen Sprachen gäbe es-laut der Europäischen Kommission-"über 60" Regional-oder Minderheitensprachen, die von "bis zu 50 Millionen Menschen" in der EU gesprochen würden (Europese Commissie 2008: 7). Manche dieser Sprachgemeinschaften-besonders die großen und die größeren-sind europaweit bekannt. So zum Beispiel die etwa 4 Mio. Katalanen in Katalonien, die etwa 515.000 Basken im Autonomen Baskenland und die etwa 575.000 Waliser. Die Mehrheit der infolge geschichtlicher Prozesse sozial-geographisch marginalisierten Sprachgemeinschaften führt jedoch aus einer gesamteuropäischen Perspektive betrachtet eher eine Schattenexistenz und kann sich auch keiner allzu weitreichenden politischen (und wirtschaftlichen) Autonomie erfreuen. Das gilt, z.B., für die ca. 200.000 Kaschuben in Polen, die ca. 4.200 Slowenen in Ungarn sowie für die weniger als 100 Liwen in Lettland, deren Sprache zu den sogenannten Kleinst-oder Zwergsprachen gerechnet wird (die Schätzungen basieren auf Haarmann 2002 und Extra/ Gorter 2009). Obwohl die europäische Sprachminderheitenlandschaft an sich sehr heterogen ist, haben alle Minderheitensprachgemeinschaften Folgendes gemeinsam: der Erhalt ihrer Sprache und Kultur steht-wenn auch in einem höchst unterschiedlichen Ausmaß-unter Druck. Und wenn es den größeren Sprachgemeinschaften wie die oben zitierten Basken, Katalanen und Waliser inzwischen gelungen sein mag, diesen Druck auf ein Minimum zu reduzieren, dann ist dies nicht der Fall für viele kleinere und/oder sozial-politisch schwächere Sprachgemeinschaften. Diese Sprachgemeinschaften sind ständig auf der Suche nach Maßnahmen, die es ihnen erlauben könnten, den gesellschaftlichen Sprachwechsel, mit dem sie konfrontiert werden, zu hemmen. Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, auf ein paar ‚allgemeinere Prinzipien' hinzuweisen, welche besonders solche Sprachgemeinschaften, die über wenig Ressourcen verfügen, als Anlass nehmen könnten, um entweder über die Gestaltung von zukünftigen Maßnahmen nachzudenken oder die bereits entwickelten Maßnahmen einer konstruktiven Kritik zu unterziehen. Die allgemeinen Prinzipien werden am Ende dieses Beitrags erwähnt. Zur Orientierung wird jedoch zuerst aus einer eher allgemeinen Perspektive auf das Phänomen des Sprachwechsels sowie auf die Sprachplanung im Kontext der einheimischen europäischen Minderheiten eingegangen.

Deutsch, 2019

General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public port... more General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

Sociolinguistica, 2020

General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public port... more General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

AILA Review, 2014

After a very broad description of what language policy and planning is about this paper presents ... more After a very broad description of what language policy and planning is about this paper presents an overview of some of the current preoccupations of researchers focusing on language policy and planning as one of the blooming fields of applied linguistics. The current issues in language policy and planning research that are dealt with include ‘the history of the field’, ‘language practices in different domains of society’, ‘ideas and beliefs about language’, and ‘the practical side of language policy and planning’. The brief sketch of current issues in language policy and planning research is meant to serve as the background for a preliminary discussion of the impact of language policy and planning research on society. That discussion takes the different ‘roles’ of academics working at university departments and doing research on language policy and planning as a starting point.

Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft / Handbooks of Linguistics and Communication Science (HSK)

Oxford Handbooks Online

This chapter looks at language policy through the new speaker lens, exploring the many ways in wh... more This chapter looks at language policy through the new speaker lens, exploring the many ways in which research on new speakers links to the discursive and ethnographic approaches that have recently come to the fore in the language policy literature. Following a brief discussion of how the new speaker concept facilitates a reconsideration of traditional approaches to language policy and planning (LPP) in minority language settings, the chapter surveys LPP research in new speaker contexts, summarizes the challenges facing research on new speakers, and discusses the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of this research. Noting that new speaker studies are not only situated in minority settings, the chapter concludes with a look at emerging areas of research beyond minority language contexts.

Sociolinguistica, 2019

General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public port... more General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

Language Policy, 2019

In this article, we reflect on the extent to which 'new speaker' research feeds into recent theor... more In this article, we reflect on the extent to which 'new speaker' research feeds into recent theoretical discussions in language policy scholarship, especially in connection to the discursive and ethnographically oriented perspectives which of late have become increasingly prominent. We begin with a brief overview of the 'new speaker' concept, its theoretical and empirical origins, and then we situate the discussions on 'new speakers' against the background of traditional language policy research. Thereafter the bulk of the article is dedicated to developing two main arguments: first, we provide an overview of the language policy themes that are already present in 'new speaker' research; and secondly, we elaborate on how 'new speaker' studies can contribute to current discussions in the field of language policy. We conclude with a short overview of future research directions that, in our view, can strengthen the link and the mutual benefits of the connection between 'new speaker' and language policy scholarship.

Language Policy, 2019

In recent years, sociolinguistic research on minority languages in Europe, particularly in the Ga... more In recent years, sociolinguistic research on minority languages in Europe, particularly in the Galician context, has chiefly contributed both theoretically and empirically to the growing attention given to 'new speakers', as well as to the emergence of a European research network in 2013 entitled 'New Speakers in a multilingual Europe: Opportunities and challenges' (www.nspk.org.uk). As documented in special issues and edited volumes, the research activities in the network not only aimed at adding the term 'new speaker' to the growing pool of analytical terminology in critically oriented sociolinguistics. Employing 'new speaker' as a lens rather than as a clear-cut notion is what we-as editors-had in mind when giving shape to this volume, drawing on discussions during the final phases of the above-mentioned research network. This seemed especially useful because such a broad take on 'new speakerness' opens up avenues for comparative research under a common label. In sum, it is certainly worth the effort to continue delving deeper into the notion of 'new speakers', and particularly to do that from the perspective of language policy. The articles collected in this thematic issue aim at contributing into that direction. Keywords Language policy • 'New speakers' 'New speaker' research finds its origins and thrust in autochthonous minoritized language communities in Europe. While the label has only been introduced relatively recently in English-language terminology, it has a longstanding presence in several minoritized language communities. It is since long used by everyday language users to describe speakers of the minoritized language who have acquired it * Josep Soler

Sociolinguistica, 2015

General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public port... more General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

Past, Present and Future of a Language Border, 2015

Dutch Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2012

One finds a number of descriptive synchronic sketches of language-in-education policy in the Germ... more One finds a number of descriptive synchronic sketches of language-in-education policy in the German-speaking community of Belgium (GC). However, a systematic analytical account of the evolution of language-in-education policy over the last 90 years has not been provided yet. With a project entitled ‘Language, Education and Power in the German-speaking community of Belgium (1919–2012)’, the Pluri-LL research group at the University of Namur seeks to tackle this research desideratum. The present paper intends to provide some basic information on the research project, starting with the GC’s geography and demography (Section 2) and the political history (Section 3). An outline of the project’s theoretical and methodological backbone (Section 4) and some preliminary findings (Section 5) are discussed as well.

Sociolinguistica, 2020

Linguistic diversity and its management have become increasingly significant for higher education... more Linguistic diversity and its management have become increasingly significant for higher education institutions around the world. Indeed, in the context of a growing student and staff mobility, information exchange, and networked multilateral interactions, the multiplicity of languages used by university stakeholders in more and more contexts has steadily grown over the past decades. A wide range of scholars (from applied and sociolinguists to higher education researchers) have responded with an equal growing attention to this phenomenon. In this paper, we funnel some of the relevant recent scholarship on the language-planning dimension of the internationalization of higher education, providing as a result an analytical framework that attempts to capture the complex sociolinguistic nature of present-day universities. To date, with only a handful of exceptions, few attempts have been made to provide a comprehensive overview of the different levels, stakeholders, and contexts of langua...

Sociolinguistica, 2020

Linguistic diversity and its management have become increasingly significant for higher education... more Linguistic diversity and its management have become increasingly significant for higher education institutions around the world. Indeed, in the context of a growing student and staff mobility, information exchange, and networked multilateral interactions, the multiplicity of languages used by university stakeholders in more and more contexts has steadily grown over the past decades. A wide range of scholars (from applied and sociolinguists to higher education researchers) have responded with an equal growing attention to this phenomenon. In this paper, we funnel some of the relevant recent scholarship on the language-planning dimension of the internationalization of higher education, providing as a result an analytical framework that attempts to capture the complex sociolinguistic nature of present-day universities. To date, with only a handful of exceptions, few attempts have been made to provide a comprehensive overview of the different levels, stakeholders, and contexts of language use in higher education. Given the rapid changing nature of language matters in such context, the framework we present in this paper should be useful to both sociolinguists interested in language issues in higher education and to on-the-ground university administrators actively engaged in language planning initiatives in their institutions. The framework, however, is not conceived of as a closed-end solution to language problems at universities today, but rather as a guiding roadmap to think productively about such issues.

Language Policy, 2019

In this article, we reflect on the extent to which ‘new speaker’ research feeds int... more In this article, we reflect on the extent to which ‘new speaker’ research feeds into recent theoretical discussions in language policy scholarship, especially in con‑nection to the discursive and ethnographically oriented perspectives which of late have become increasingly prominent. We begin with a brief overview of the ‘new speaker’ concept, its theoretical and empirical origins, and then we situate the dis‑cussions on ‘new speakers’ against the background of traditional language policy research. Thereafter the bulk of the article is dedicated to developing two main argu‑ments: first, we provide an overview of the language policy themes that are already present in ‘new speaker’ research; and secondly, we elaborate on how ‘new speaker’ studies can contribute to current discussions in the field of language policy. We conclude with a short overview of future research directions that, in our view, can strengthen the link and the mutual benefits of the connection between ‘new speaker’ and language policy scholarship.

Gemessen am Rest der Welt ist der Anteil Europas an der globalen Sprachenvielfalt eher gering. Na... more Gemessen am Rest der Welt ist der Anteil Europas an der globalen Sprachenvielfalt eher gering. Nach Haarmann (2006: 335) beheimatet Europa lediglich etwa 2,2% der geschätzten 6.417 einheimischen Sprachen der Welt. Beschränkt man sich auf die Europäische Union, dann verringert sich die Zahl der einheimischen Sprachen um ein weiteres. Neben den 23 Amtssprachen der EU und einer "Vielzahl" an nichteinheimischen Sprachen gäbe es-laut der Europäischen Kommission-"über 60" Regional-oder Minderheitensprachen, die von "bis zu 50 Millionen Menschen" in der EU gesprochen würden (Europese Commissie 2008: 7). Manche dieser Sprachgemeinschaften-besonders die großen und die größeren-sind europaweit bekannt. So zum Beispiel die etwa 4 Mio. Katalanen in Katalonien, die etwa 515.000 Basken im Autonomen Baskenland und die etwa 575.000 Waliser. Die Mehrheit der infolge geschichtlicher Prozesse sozial-geographisch marginalisierten Sprachgemeinschaften führt jedoch aus einer gesamteuropäischen Perspektive betrachtet eher eine Schattenexistenz und kann sich auch keiner allzu weitreichenden politischen (und wirtschaftlichen) Autonomie erfreuen. Das gilt, z.B., für die ca. 200.000 Kaschuben in Polen, die ca. 4.200 Slowenen in Ungarn sowie für die weniger als 100 Liwen in Lettland, deren Sprache zu den sogenannten Kleinst-oder Zwergsprachen gerechnet wird (die Schätzungen basieren auf Haarmann 2002 und Extra/ Gorter 2009). Obwohl die europäische Sprachminderheitenlandschaft an sich sehr heterogen ist, haben alle Minderheitensprachgemeinschaften Folgendes gemeinsam: der Erhalt ihrer Sprache und Kultur steht-wenn auch in einem höchst unterschiedlichen Ausmaß-unter Druck. Und wenn es den größeren Sprachgemeinschaften wie die oben zitierten Basken, Katalanen und Waliser inzwischen gelungen sein mag, diesen Druck auf ein Minimum zu reduzieren, dann ist dies nicht der Fall für viele kleinere und/oder sozial-politisch schwächere Sprachgemeinschaften. Diese Sprachgemeinschaften sind ständig auf der Suche nach Maßnahmen, die es ihnen erlauben könnten, den gesellschaftlichen Sprachwechsel, mit dem sie konfrontiert werden, zu hemmen. Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, auf ein paar ‚allgemeinere Prinzipien' hinzuweisen, welche besonders solche Sprachgemeinschaften, die über wenig Ressourcen verfügen, als Anlass nehmen könnten, um entweder über die Gestaltung von zukünftigen Maßnahmen nachzudenken oder die bereits entwickelten Maßnahmen einer konstruktiven Kritik zu unterziehen. Die allgemeinen Prinzipien werden am Ende dieses Beitrags erwähnt. Zur Orientierung wird jedoch zuerst aus einer eher allgemeinen Perspektive auf das Phänomen des Sprachwechsels sowie auf die Sprachplanung im Kontext der einheimischen europäischen Minderheiten eingegangen.

Deutsch, 2019

General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public port... more General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

Sociolinguistica, 2020

General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public port... more General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

AILA Review, 2014

After a very broad description of what language policy and planning is about this paper presents ... more After a very broad description of what language policy and planning is about this paper presents an overview of some of the current preoccupations of researchers focusing on language policy and planning as one of the blooming fields of applied linguistics. The current issues in language policy and planning research that are dealt with include ‘the history of the field’, ‘language practices in different domains of society’, ‘ideas and beliefs about language’, and ‘the practical side of language policy and planning’. The brief sketch of current issues in language policy and planning research is meant to serve as the background for a preliminary discussion of the impact of language policy and planning research on society. That discussion takes the different ‘roles’ of academics working at university departments and doing research on language policy and planning as a starting point.

Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft / Handbooks of Linguistics and Communication Science (HSK)

Oxford Handbooks Online

This chapter looks at language policy through the new speaker lens, exploring the many ways in wh... more This chapter looks at language policy through the new speaker lens, exploring the many ways in which research on new speakers links to the discursive and ethnographic approaches that have recently come to the fore in the language policy literature. Following a brief discussion of how the new speaker concept facilitates a reconsideration of traditional approaches to language policy and planning (LPP) in minority language settings, the chapter surveys LPP research in new speaker contexts, summarizes the challenges facing research on new speakers, and discusses the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of this research. Noting that new speaker studies are not only situated in minority settings, the chapter concludes with a look at emerging areas of research beyond minority language contexts.

Sociolinguistica, 2019

General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public port... more General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

Language Policy, 2019

In this article, we reflect on the extent to which 'new speaker' research feeds into recent theor... more In this article, we reflect on the extent to which 'new speaker' research feeds into recent theoretical discussions in language policy scholarship, especially in connection to the discursive and ethnographically oriented perspectives which of late have become increasingly prominent. We begin with a brief overview of the 'new speaker' concept, its theoretical and empirical origins, and then we situate the discussions on 'new speakers' against the background of traditional language policy research. Thereafter the bulk of the article is dedicated to developing two main arguments: first, we provide an overview of the language policy themes that are already present in 'new speaker' research; and secondly, we elaborate on how 'new speaker' studies can contribute to current discussions in the field of language policy. We conclude with a short overview of future research directions that, in our view, can strengthen the link and the mutual benefits of the connection between 'new speaker' and language policy scholarship.

Language Policy, 2019

In recent years, sociolinguistic research on minority languages in Europe, particularly in the Ga... more In recent years, sociolinguistic research on minority languages in Europe, particularly in the Galician context, has chiefly contributed both theoretically and empirically to the growing attention given to 'new speakers', as well as to the emergence of a European research network in 2013 entitled 'New Speakers in a multilingual Europe: Opportunities and challenges' (www.nspk.org.uk). As documented in special issues and edited volumes, the research activities in the network not only aimed at adding the term 'new speaker' to the growing pool of analytical terminology in critically oriented sociolinguistics. Employing 'new speaker' as a lens rather than as a clear-cut notion is what we-as editors-had in mind when giving shape to this volume, drawing on discussions during the final phases of the above-mentioned research network. This seemed especially useful because such a broad take on 'new speakerness' opens up avenues for comparative research under a common label. In sum, it is certainly worth the effort to continue delving deeper into the notion of 'new speakers', and particularly to do that from the perspective of language policy. The articles collected in this thematic issue aim at contributing into that direction. Keywords Language policy • 'New speakers' 'New speaker' research finds its origins and thrust in autochthonous minoritized language communities in Europe. While the label has only been introduced relatively recently in English-language terminology, it has a longstanding presence in several minoritized language communities. It is since long used by everyday language users to describe speakers of the minoritized language who have acquired it * Josep Soler

Sociolinguistica, 2015

General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public port... more General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

Past, Present and Future of a Language Border, 2015

Dutch Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2012

One finds a number of descriptive synchronic sketches of language-in-education policy in the Germ... more One finds a number of descriptive synchronic sketches of language-in-education policy in the German-speaking community of Belgium (GC). However, a systematic analytical account of the evolution of language-in-education policy over the last 90 years has not been provided yet. With a project entitled ‘Language, Education and Power in the German-speaking community of Belgium (1919–2012)’, the Pluri-LL research group at the University of Namur seeks to tackle this research desideratum. The present paper intends to provide some basic information on the research project, starting with the GC’s geography and demography (Section 2) and the political history (Section 3). An outline of the project’s theoretical and methodological backbone (Section 4) and some preliminary findings (Section 5) are discussed as well.

Sociolinguistica, 2020

Linguistic diversity and its management have become increasingly significant for higher education... more Linguistic diversity and its management have become increasingly significant for higher education institutions around the world. Indeed, in the context of a growing student and staff mobility, information exchange, and networked multilateral interactions, the multiplicity of languages used by university stakeholders in more and more contexts has steadily grown over the past decades. A wide range of scholars (from applied and sociolinguists to higher education researchers) have responded with an equal growing attention to this phenomenon. In this paper, we funnel some of the relevant recent scholarship on the language-planning dimension of the internationalization of higher education, providing as a result an analytical framework that attempts to capture the complex sociolinguistic nature of present-day universities. To date, with only a handful of exceptions, few attempts have been made to provide a comprehensive overview of the different levels, stakeholders, and contexts of langua...

Sociolinguistica, 2020

Linguistic diversity and its management have become increasingly significant for higher education... more Linguistic diversity and its management have become increasingly significant for higher education institutions around the world. Indeed, in the context of a growing student and staff mobility, information exchange, and networked multilateral interactions, the multiplicity of languages used by university stakeholders in more and more contexts has steadily grown over the past decades. A wide range of scholars (from applied and sociolinguists to higher education researchers) have responded with an equal growing attention to this phenomenon. In this paper, we funnel some of the relevant recent scholarship on the language-planning dimension of the internationalization of higher education, providing as a result an analytical framework that attempts to capture the complex sociolinguistic nature of present-day universities. To date, with only a handful of exceptions, few attempts have been made to provide a comprehensive overview of the different levels, stakeholders, and contexts of language use in higher education. Given the rapid changing nature of language matters in such context, the framework we present in this paper should be useful to both sociolinguists interested in language issues in higher education and to on-the-ground university administrators actively engaged in language planning initiatives in their institutions. The framework, however, is not conceived of as a closed-end solution to language problems at universities today, but rather as a guiding roadmap to think productively about such issues.

Language Policy, 2019

In this article, we reflect on the extent to which ‘new speaker’ research feeds int... more In this article, we reflect on the extent to which ‘new speaker’ research feeds into recent theoretical discussions in language policy scholarship, especially in con‑nection to the discursive and ethnographically oriented perspectives which of late have become increasingly prominent. We begin with a brief overview of the ‘new speaker’ concept, its theoretical and empirical origins, and then we situate the dis‑cussions on ‘new speakers’ against the background of traditional language policy research. Thereafter the bulk of the article is dedicated to developing two main argu‑ments: first, we provide an overview of the language policy themes that are already present in ‘new speaker’ research; and secondly, we elaborate on how ‘new speaker’ studies can contribute to current discussions in the field of language policy. We conclude with a short overview of future research directions that, in our view, can strengthen the link and the mutual benefits of the connection between ‘new speaker’ and language policy scholarship.

Tadhg Ó hIfearnáin Back to the Future: Standard and language standards in contemporary Manx Gaeli... more Tadhg Ó hIfearnáin Back to the Future: Standard and language standards in contemporary Manx Gaelic � 99 Jarmo Lainio/Erling Wande Meänkieli today -to be or not to be standardised � 121

The languages and linguistics of Europe. A comprehensive guide., 2011

In terms of figures, linguistic diversity in Europe does not really amount to anything much on a ... more In terms of figures, linguistic diversity in Europe does not really amount to anything much on a world scale. Yet, linguistic diversity is high on the European political agenda. In their quest for diversity in unity, the Council of Europe and the European Union show a special concern for the preservation and promotion of minority languages in times of globalization. The reasons for this concern are manifold and range from the cultural value attached to languages to the symbolic role of languages in ensuring the political stability in language minority settings. With the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages (1992) the Council of Europe developed a legal tool aiming at a culturally and politically inspired preservation and promotion of linguistic diversity on the territories of its member states. Against the background of a general description of the situation of language minorities in Europe, this contribution will especially focus on the European Charter. It will briefly describe its contents and will scrutinize the way in which the Charter links up with current language planning theory and practice. To conclude, this contribution will tackle a number of research desiderata that could advance both the contact linguistic study of language planning and language politics as well as the actual situation of Europe’s indigenous language minorities.