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Article published In: Language Problems and Language Planning
Vol. 42:2 (2018) ► pp.173–195

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Articles / Articulos / Aufsätz / Artikoloj

Maintaining the status quo

Diglossia and the case of Arabic language policy in Ceuta

 | The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Published online: 21 June 2018
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00018.rea
Abstract
Arabic is considered one of the defining cases of diglossia (Ferguson, C. (1959). Diglossia. Word, 151, 325–340 Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Sayahi, L. (2014). Diglossia and language contact: Language variation and change in North Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). Despite previous scholars’ critiques that the construct of diglossia perpetuates linguistic and societal inequalities, few studies have examined how this seminal construct has been enacted in language policy (Woolard, K. A. & Schieffelin, B. (1994). Language ideology. Annual Review of Anthropology, 231, 55–82. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Pennycook, A. (1994). The cultural politics of English as an international language. London: Longman.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Harris, R. (1981). The language myth. London: Duckworth.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). This paper addresses this gap by examining language policy in context through an intertextual analysis of language policy documents including the 1992 European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and several reports on their fulfillment of the charter’s requirements. Using Irvine, J. T., & Gal, S. (2000). Language ideology and linguistic differentiation. In P. V. Kroskrity (Ed.), Regimes of language: Ideologies, polities and identities (pp. 35–84). Santa Fe, NM: School of American Research Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar framework of three semiotic processes of ideology, the texts demonstrate the use of the notion of diglossia as a tool of iconization, fractal recursivity, and erasure used to naturalize current linguistic inequalities. Consequently, diglossic descriptions are taken up in policy documents in service of a particular language ideology that justifies suppression of minority languages such as is the case of Arabic in Ceuta.
Resumen
Manteniendo el statu quo: Diglosia y el caso de política lingüística árabe en Ceuta
Se considera el árabe un caso definitorio de diglosia (Ferguson, 1959; Sayahi, 2014). A pesar de las críticas que el concepto de diglosia perpetua desigualdades sociales y lingüísticas, pocos estudios examinaron el uso de este concepto en la política lingüística (Woolard & Schieffelin, 1994; Pennycook, 1994; Harris, 1981). En este artículo se intenta abordar esta laguna al analizar la política lingüística a través del análisis intertextual de los documentos de la 1992 Carta Europea de Lenguas Regionales o Minoritarias y varios informes sobre su cumplimiento de los requisitos de la carta. Se utiliza el marco de Irvine y Gal (2000) de tres procesos semióticos de ideología para mostrar que los textos toman la noción de diglosia como una herramienta de iconización, recursividad fractal y borradura. De esta manera, los textos regularizan las desigualdades lingüísticas. Por consiguiente, las descripciones diglósicas sirven una ideología lingüística que justifica la represión de las lenguas minoritarias como el árabe en Ceuta.
Resumo
Konservante la nuntempan staton: Diglosio kaj la kazo de araba lingvopolitiko en la teritorio Ceuta
Oni konsideras la araban lingvon unu el la difinaj kazoj de diglosio. Spite la kritikojn de antaŭaj fakuloj, ke la nocio de diglosio konstantigas lingvajn kaj sociajn malegalecojn, malmultaj studoj jam ekzamenis kiel tiu fundamenta nocio realiĝas en lingvopolitiko. La nuna artikolo alfrontas tiun literaturan mankon per ekzamenado de lingvopolitiko kuntekste, nome per interteksta analizo de lingvopolitikaj dokumentoj, inkluzive la Eŭropan Ĉarton por Regionaj aŭ Minoritataj Lingvoj kaj kelkajn raportojn pri la plenumo de la preskriboj de la Ĉarto. Uzante la kadron de Irvine kaj Gal (2000) de tri semiotikaj procedoj de ideologio, la artikolo demonstras kiel la tekstoj montras la uzon de la nocio de diglosio kiel ilo de ikonigo, frakta rekursiveco kaj forviŝo tiel kiel tiu nocio estas uzata por naturigi aktualajn lingvajn malegalecojn. Konsekvence, diglosiaj priskriboj estas alprenitaj en politikajn dokumentojn serve al aparta lingva ideologio kiu pravigas subpremon de minoritataj lingvoj, kiel en la kazo de Ceuta rilate la araban.
Article outline
  • Diglossia
  • Rethinking diglossia
  • The linguistic, geographic, demographic and sociocultural context of Ceuta
  • Methods and theoretical approach
    • Intertextual analysis
  • Three semiotic processes: Iconization, fractal recursivity, and erasure
  • Analysis
  • Conclusion
  • Note
  • References
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