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Bilingualism and Language Policy in Canada

Bilingualism and Language Policy in Canada. Natascha Merwar GS/LN Verena Nogaj HS/LN Katja Faber HS /LN. Contents. Introduction Royal Commission on Bilingualism & Biculturalism Implementing a more comprehensive Language Policy Official Languages Act of 1969 Official Languages Act of 1988

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Bilingualism and Language Policy in Canada

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  1. Bilingualism and Language Policy in Canada Natascha Merwar GS/LN Verena Nogaj HS/LN Katja Faber HS /LN

  2. Contents • Introduction • Royal Commission on Bilingualism & Biculturalism • Implementing a more comprehensive Language Policy • Official Languages Act of 1969 • Official Languages Act of 1988 • Conclusion

  3. Introduction • Definition of Bilingualism: The ability to speak two languages with nativelike competence. In every individual case one language will be dominant. • Bilingualism as one form of multilingualism

  4. Introduction • Bilingualism in Canada (institutional bilingualism): The ability to communicate in both of Canada‘s official languages, English and French. -> is formalised in Language Policy -> refers to the capacity of state institutions to operate in two languages

  5. Introduction • Situation in Canada: -> Canada is a predominantly English speaking country -> Asymmetry of language abilities existing between English/anglophone and French/francophone: 1. Quantitative Asymmetry 2. Qualitative Asymmetry

  6. Introduction • French and English territories are separate and their territorilisation is increasing • „Quebec as a French island in an ocean of English“

  7. Introduction

  8. Introduction • Why Institutional Bilingualism in Canada? • No language is exclusive Canadian (exept certain Amerindian languages), so Canadians haven‘t got a native language • Bilingualism as a mean to show the importance of both languages • Bilingualism as an advantage for Canada‘s citizens

  9. Introduction • Advantages • Communicative advantages • Cutural advantages • Cognitive advantages

  10. Royal Commission on Bilingualism & Biculturalism • Quiet Revolution in Quebec (1960-1966) • Period of... ...rapid social change ...modernisation of Quebec ...redefinition of the role of French Canadians within Confederation

  11. Royal Commission on Bilingualism & Biculturalism • Also known as the Laurendeau- Dunton Commission • Consisted of 10 commissioners: - five French speaking members - five English speaking members

  12. Royal Commission on Bilingualism & Biculturalism • Was asked to - require into and report upon the existing state of bilingualism andbiculturalism in Canada - recommend which steps to take to develop the Canadian Confederation on the basis of an equal partnership

  13. Royal Commission on Bilingualism & Biculturalism • recommendations on: a) the situation and practice of bilingualism b) the promoting of bilingualism by public and private organisations c) the opportunities to learn French and English and “what could be done to enable Canadians to become bilingual“ • 1965: publication of Premium Report • 1967-1970: publication of final report (consists of six volumes)

  14. Royal Commission on Bilingualism & Biculturalism • 9 per cent of federal positions designated as bilingual in 1966 • 44 per cent were in the Ottawa-Hull capital area, 49 per cent were in Quebec outside the capital region • bilingual positions rose to 21 per cent in 1974 and to 29 per cent in 1995 (Edwards, John(1998):Language in Canada.Cambridge University Press:Cambridge.)

  15. Royal Commission on Bilingualism & Biculturalism „Bilingualism units people; dualism divides them. Bilingualism means you can speak to the other; duality means you live in one language and the rest of Canada will live in another language!“ Pierre Elliott Trudeau, speaking to the Senat in Ottawa on March 20, 1988, as quoted in The Essential Trudeau, Ron Graham, ed.

  16. Implementing a more comprehensive Language Policy • Implementation of language related reforms: a) More extensive formal recognition of English and French as official languages of Canada b) Restructuring of the public service and federal institutions c) Reforms 1. to aid official language minority schools 2. to encourage study of the other official language d) Promotion of French as the main language in Quebec‘s private sector e) Elaboration of a cultural policy concerning growing cultural diversity in Canada

  17. Official Languages Act of 1969 • three main objectives: a) The equality of English & French in parliament within the government of Canada, the federal administrations and institutions b) The preservation and development of official language communities in Canada c) The equality of English and French in Canadian society

  18. Official Languages Act of 1969 • New Brunswick enacts its first official languages act making it Canada‘s first and only official bilingual province

  19. Official Languages Act of 1969 • three major components of policy in this period: - external service to the public in both official languages - balanced participation of anglophones and francophones in the public service - freedom of choice in the language of work

  20. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982) • Bill of right • Forms first part of Constitution Act (1982) • intended to protect political and civil rights of people in Canada from the policies and actions of all levels of the government • Consists of 34 sections • Sections 16-22: Official Languages of Canada • Section 23: Minority Language Education Rights

  21. Official Languages Act of 1988 • Is different from its predecessor: - longer and more comprehensive - text has a noticably different quality - begins with a two–page preamble • 1988 Act was primarily concerned with coordinating and managing official bilingualism • Most obvious general thrust is to develop a more powerful language legislation

  22. Official Languages Act of 1988 • Main distinction between 1969 and 1988: to guide government policy and pursue efforts to promote the official languages in Canadian society as a whole

  23. Conclusion • Support for bilingualism is mixed • Strongest support can be found in the so called Bilingual Belt • both English and French are regularly spoken • extends from New Brunswick in the east through Quebec, Eastern and Northern Ontario and Southern Manitoba

  24. Conclusion • outside this belt in Quebec the majority of population is francophone • the rest of Canada, outside the belt, is overwhelmingly anglophone • these days there are supporters and opponents of bilingualism in every part of Canada

  25. Conclusion

  26. References • Edwards, John(1998):Language in Canada.Cambridge University Press:Cambridge. • Wardhaugh, Ronald(1987):Languages in Competition.Basil Blackwell:Oxford. • http://en.wikipedia.org • http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com • http://www.pch.gc.ca • http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ks4/cur/socstud/foundation_gr6/blms/6-3-2g.pdf • http://www.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory/readings/lesage.htm • http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/progs/lo-ol/biling/hist_e.cfm • http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/north_america/canada/canada.htm

  27. Thank you for your attention!

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