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Article published In: Language Problems and Language Planning
Vol. 42:2 (2018) ► pp.113–131

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Articles / Articulos / Aufsätz / Artikoloj

Language rights in the United States island territory of Guam

 | University of Tulsa
Published online: 21 June 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00015.fai
Abstract
This article examines the language legislation of the United States territory of Guam as stated in the Organic Act of Guam (1950) and its legal statutes. The article seeks to offer suggestions about how the quality of this language legislation might be improved. As in a few states in the United States (i.e., Hawaii, Louisiana, and New Mexico), Guam established linguistic laws with provisions that protect the language rights of Chamorro speakers, the native population of Guam, especially in the areas of education and language standardization. In spite of the impressive array of language laws enacted by Guam’s legislature to teach Chamorro language and culture in the schools for more than half a century, the use of English is increasing, while that of Chamorro continues to shrink in Guam, which may be due to a lack of buy-in by the indigenous Chamorro population with respect to the importance of expanding the use of this language for the purpose of maintaining a modern-day Chamorro identity.
Resumen
Derechos lingüísticos en el territorio insular de Guam de los Estados Unidos
Este artículo examina la legislación lingüística del territorio de Guam de los Estados Unidos, tal como lo establece su Ley Orgánica (1950) y sus estatutos legales. El artículo pretende ayudar a los Estados Unidos y sus territorios a mejorar la calidad de la legislación lingüística. Como en algunos estados de Estados Unidos (Hawai, Luisiana y Nuevo México), Guam estableció leyes lingüísticas con disposiciones que protegen los derechos lingüísticos de los hablantes de chamorro, la población nativa de Guam, especialmente en las áreas de educación en chamorro y normalización de esta lengua. A pesar de la impresionante variedad de leyes lingüísticas promulgadas por la legislatura de Guam para enseñar el idioma y la cultura chamorro en las escuelas durante más de medio siglo, el uso del inglés está aumentando, mientras que el de chamorro se está achicando continuamente en Guam, lo cual puede deberse a la falta de aceptación por la población indígena chamorro de la importancia de ampliar el uso de esta lengua con el fin de mantener una identidad chamorro moderna.
Resumo
Lingvaj rajtoj en la usona insula teritorio Guamo
La nuna artikolo ekzamenas la lingvan leĝaron de la usona teritorio Guamo tiel kiel ĝin prezentas la Organic Act of Guam (Organika Akto de Guamo) de 1950 kaj ties juraj statutoj. La artikolo celas prezenti sugestojn por ebla plibonigo de la kvalito de tiu ĉi leĝaro. Kiel en kelkaj usonaj ŝtatoj (ekz. Havajo, Luiziano kaj Nov-Meksiko), Guamo starigis lingvajn leĝojn kun provizoj kiuj protektas la lingvajn rajtojn de parolantoj de la ĉamora lingvo, la indiĝena popolo de Guamo, precipe rilate al edukado kaj lingva normigo. Spite la imponan kolekton de lingvaj leĝoj aprobitaj de la leĝfara instanco de Guamo rilate instruadon de la ĉamora lingvo kaj kulturo tra pli ol duonjarcento, la uzo de la angla kreskas dum tiu de la ĉamora reduktiĝas en Guamo, eventuale pro manko de sininvesto de la indiĝena ĉamora popolo rilate gravecon de la uzo de tiu ĉi lingvo cele al konservado de la nuntempa ĉamora identeco.
Article outline
  • Language rights in the organic act of Guam
  • Language rights for official languages
  • Language rights for Chamorro-speakers
    • The Chamorro language commission
    • Chamorro in education
  • Conclusion
  • References
References (33)
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