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Article published In: Promoting linguistic vitality through public policy: The role of rules, costs and incentives
Edited by Bengt-Arne Wickström, Noémi Nagy, Anneliese Rieger-Roschitz and Balázs Vizi
[Language Problems and Language Planning 47:2] 2023
► pp. 182–207

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Standardization and vitality

The role of linguistic purism in preventing extinction

ORCiD logo with link | Cardiff University
Published online: 8 January 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00105.dan
Abstract
This paper examines the relation between linguistic purism, standardization, and vitality, arguing that linguistic purism warrants renewed emphasis as a necessary heuristic for preventing language endangerment and extinction. Linguistic purism has developed an unfavourable reputation in contemporary linguistics and is frequently portrayed as irrational and reactionary. This is partly due to its historical association with nationalism, and partly due to the descriptive rather than prescriptive nature of contemporary linguistics. This paper argues that linguistic purism is actually rooted in progressive rather than reactionary political thought and activity, and is a constitutive feature of Western Modernity. Moreover, its historical association with nationalism is more accurately understood as anti-colonial resistance, a grassroots version of which can be observed across numerous non-Han ethnic groups in the People’s Republic of China today. Using the explanatory framework of linguistic relativity, the paper further argues that purism is a rational rather than reactionary response to excessive translingual borrowing.
Crynodeb
Archwilia’r papur hwn y berthynas rhwng safoni ac adfywio iaith, a phuryddiaeth ieithyddol. Dadleuir bod angen ategi pwysigrwydd puryddiaeth ieithyddol fel egwyddor angenrheidiol ar gyfer atal difodiant ieithyddol. Mae puryddiaeth ieithyddol wedi datblygu delwedd anffafriol ymhlith ieithyddwyr cyfoes, ac fe’i portreadir yn aml fel agwedd afresymegol ac adweithiol. Mae hyn yn rhannol oherwydd ei gysylltiad hanesyddol â chenedlaetholdeb, ac yn rhannol oherwydd natur ddisgrifiadol yn hytrach na rhagnodol ieithyddiaeth gyfoes. Dadleua’r papur hwn bod puryddiaeth ieithyddol mewn gwirionedd wedi’i wreiddio mewn syniadaeth a gweithgarwch gwleidyddol blaengar yn hytrach nag adweithiol, a’i fod yn nodwedd ganolog o Foderniaeth Orllewinol. Ar ben hynny, mae’n fwy cywir ystyried ei gysylltiad hanesyddol â chenedlaetholdeb fel ymwrthedd gwrth-drefedigaethol, a gellir gweld fersiwn “gwreiddiau glaswellt” ohono ledled nifer helaeth o gymunedau ethnig an-Han yn Tseina heddiw. Gan ddefnyddio’r fframwaith esboniadol o berthynoledd ieithyddol, dadleua’r papur ymhellach, ar sail hunaniaeth, fod puryddiaeth yn ymateb perffaith rhesymegol i or-fenthyca traws-ieithyddol.
Resumo
Ĉi tiu artikolo pridiskutas la rilaton inter lingva purismo, lingvonormigado kaj lingva vigleco, argumentante ke lingva purismo meritas renovigitan emfazon kiel necesa heŭristiko por malhelpi danĝerigon kaj formorton de lingvoj. Lingva purismo evoluigis malfavoran reputacion en nuntempa lingvistiko kaj estas ofte priskribita kiel neracia kaj reakcia. Tio parte dependas de ĝia historia konekto kun naciismo, kaj parte pro la fakto ke nuntempa lingvistiko preferas preskriban super priskriban metodojn. Tiu ĉi artikolo argumentas ke lingva purismo fakte havas siajn radikojn en progresema kaj ne en reakcia politika penso kaj agado, kaj estas konsistiga ero de Okcidenta Moderneco. Krome, ĝia historia asocio kun naciismo pli precize estu komprenata kiel kontraŭkolonia rezisto; ties bazan version oni hodiaŭ povas observi ĉe multaj ne-hanaj etnoj en Popola Ĉinio. Uzante la analizan kadron de lingva relativeco, la artiklo adicie argumentas ke pro la identecodefina funkcio de lingvo purismo estas pli racia ol reakcia respondo al troa interlingva prunto.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Linguistic purism: Conflicting approaches and caricatured characterizations
  • 3.Purism and standardization: A reactionary synthesis or pillar of western modernity?
  • 4.Language as a carrier of culture: Renaissance precursors
  • 5.Linguistic relativity
  • 6.Linguistic purism as anti-colonial resistance
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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2025. One language, many hierarchies. Language Problems and Language Planning DOI logo

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