<p>This thesis is concerned with three language debates that reached their most crucial peaks in Sweden at the beginning of the twenty-first century: (i) the debate on the promotion of the Swedish language, (ii) the debate on language testing for citizenship, and (iii) the debate on mother tongue instruction. The main scope of the thesis is to take a theoretically multi-pronged approach to these debates trying to shed light on the following aspects: Why did such debates emerge when they did? Which discourses were available in those specific historical moments? Who are the social actors that intervened in these debates? What is at stake for them? What do they claim? What systems of values, ideas and beliefs – i.e. ideologies – underlie such claims? What are the effects in terms of identities, objects of political intervention, commonsensical knowledge and authority that these discourses and ideologies produce?</p><p>Taking Sweden as a case in point, the thesis adds to the existing literature another example of how language debates are the manifestation of conflicts between different language ideologies that struggle for hegemony, thus attempting to impose one specific way of envisaging the management of a nation-state in a time of globalisation. In their outer and most patent facets, these struggles deal with the relationships between languages in today’s Sweden, and how the state, through legislation, should – or should not – regulate such relationships in order to (re)produce some kind of linguistic order. However, the thesis also illustrates that when social actors appeal to a linguistic order, they not only draw boundaries between different languages in a given society, but they also bring into existence a social world in which the speakers of those languages come to occupy specific social positions. These linguistic and social hierarchies, in turn, are imbricated in an often implicit moral regime of what counts as good or bad, acceptable or taboo in that society.</p>

This thesis is concerned with three language debates that reached their most crucial peaks in Sweden at the beginning of the twenty-first century: (i) the debate on the promotion of the Swedish language, (ii) the debate on language testing for citizenship, and (iii) the debate on mother tongue instruction. The main scope of the thesis is to take a theoretically multi-pronged approach to these debates trying to shed light on the following aspects: Why did such debates emerge when they did? Which discourses were available in those specific historical moments? Who are the social actors that intervened in these debates? What is at stake for them? What do they claim? What systems of values, ideas and beliefs – i.e. ideologies – underlie such claims? What are the effects in terms of identities, objects of political intervention, commonsensical knowledge and authority that these discourses and ideologies produce? Taking Sweden as a case in point, the thesis adds to the existing literature another example of how language debates are the manifestation of conflicts between different language ideologies that struggle for hegemony, thus attempting to impose one specific way of envisaging the management of a nation-state in a time of globalisation. In their outer and most patent facets, these struggles deal with the relationships between languages in today’s Sweden, and how the state, through legislation, should – or should not – regulate such relationships in order to (re)produce some kind of linguistic order. However, the thesis also illustrates that when social actors appeal to a linguistic order, they not only draw boundaries between different languages in a given society, but they also bring into existence a social world in which the speakers of those languages come to occupy specific social positions. These linguistic and social hierarchies, in turn, are imbricated in an often implicit moral regime of what counts as good or bad, acceptable or taboo in that society.

(in English) The aim of this diploma thesis is to describe the current state of passive bilingualism on the Iberian Peninsula, from the point of view of native monolingual Spanish speakers in contact with Galician, Catalan, Basque, and Portuguese langauges. The thesis consists of two parts - theoretical and practical. In the theoretical part, it tries to describe bilingualism, its perception throughout history and other concepts that are directly related to it in a comprehensive way. The key topic which is analysed is, however, receptive/passive bilingualism. For better context, it also focuses on the sociolinguistic development of the (co)official languages of the Iberian Peninsula from a diachronic perspective and, concurrently, language policy involved. In the practical part, it establishes the hypothesis which is later being demonstrated on the results of the original internet survey. Later on, proceeds to comment and evaluate them.

Despite already thirty years after gaining independence, Ukraine is still having difficulties forming an integral and united national identity. The language issue in Ukraine is a vivid example of the problem Ukraine is confronting. Numerous efforts have been made with the aim to strengthen the role of the Ukrainian language, but the presence of the Russian language in Ukraine is still strong. Furthermore, the battle between these two languages often provokes huge public debates, and the debates do not revolve around the language use itself, but usually associate it with the wider debate of the Ukrainian common memory. Although much research has been devoted to analysing the narratives of relevant language laws, the discourses of Ukrainian politicians, or public opinions of the language issue and their links with people's political orientation, this thesis will focus on the discourses of media, an equally important site which represents and reproduces everyday nationalism. By adopting the methodology of critical discourse analysis, this work aims to uncover what are the common themes behind the everyday debate on the language issue in Ukrainian media and what are the typical mechanisms and strategies in the language use of media discourses to facilitate propagating their language ideologies. After a...

(in English): This paper follows the ways in which the latest wave of ukrainization impacts Ukrainian pop culture. The attention is brought upon domestic cultural politics, in particular the aspects which aim to support the Ukrainian language in entertainment sector. The paper then exposes the public discussion about official quotas for usage of Ukrainian language in radio and television. Part of the work is dedicated to the problem of language question from Ukrainian musicians perspective on the example of Ukrainian language band Skryabin and Russian speaking band Green Grey.

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The aim of this work was to investigate the language politics adopted in Brazil, concerning the teaching of Portuguese as a Foreign Language (PFL), and discuss its effects on the reception of international exchange students in undergraduate and graduate courses, at a Federal University in Minas Gerais. A documentary and a field research of qualitative nature was carried out in order to investigate the politics of representation regarding the PFL and the processes of identification of foreign students with the referred language, as well as the possible impacts that a \"shy\" PFL teaching policy may have in relation to the identification processes of foreign students with the portuguese language. Data was gathered through questionnaires and interviews with students, teachers and the coordinator of a portuguese course held during two semesters at the referred university. The hypothesis that guided our research was partly confirmed, at least in regards to the institution investigated. We noted that the lack of a clearly established policy for the PFL teaching seemed to make it difficult for foreign students to develop an identification process with the portuguese language. Data also showed that, due to the new status of the English language in the world, Brazil s current language politics has taken the language as an intermediary tool for the reception of foreign students and, consequently, there has not been a clearly established policy for PFL teaching. / O objetivo geral deste trabalho é investigar as políticas linguísticas adotadas no Brasil, no que se refere ao ensino de Português como Língua Estrangeira (PLE), e discutir seus efeitos na recepção dos estudantes estrangeiros intercambistas, nos cursos de graduação e de pósgraduação, de uma universidade federal de Minas Gerais. Para tanto, realizamos uma pesquisa documental e uma de campo, de natureza qualitativa, discutindo os dados amparados no arcabouço teórico da Linguística Crítica e da Pragmática. Na pesquisa documental, buscamos por documentos sobre o ensino de PLE implantados pelo governo federal e, na pesquisa de campo, consultamos, por meio de entrevistas e de questionários abertos, os estudantes, professores e coordenadores de um curso de PLE oferecido pela instituição pesquisada. Refletimos, nesse trabalho, sobre as políticas de representação concernentes ao PLE e sobre os processos de identificação com essa língua, bem como sobre os possíveis impactos que uma política \"tímida\" de ensino de PLE pode ter em relação aos processos de identificação dos estrangeiros com a língua portuguesa. A hipótese que norteou nossa investigação pareceu se confirmar parcialmente, porque, pelo menos no que tange à instituição investigada, notamos que a falta de uma política claramente estabelecida para o ensino de PLE pareceu dificultar que os estudantes estrangeiros tivessem a chance de desenvolver processos de identificação com a língua portuguesa. Os dados mostraram que, em razão do novo status da língua inglesa diante do mundo (World English, tal como defendido por Rajagopalan, 2012), a atual política linguística brasileira tem tomado esse idioma como a língua de intermediação para o acolhimento de estudantes estrangeiros, e consequentemente, não tem havido uma política claramente estabelecida para o ensino de PLE. / Mestre em Estudos Linguísticos

Utafiti huu unachunguza maenezi ya lugha ya Kiswahili katika taifa la Sudan Kusini kwa kuangazia njia zilizotumika kuisambaza hii lugha ya Kiswahili nchini humo. Unachunguza pia changamoto za lugha ya Kiswahili nchini Sudan Kusini na mustakabali wake. Data ya utafiti huu imekusanywa nyanjani kupitia kifaa cha mahojiano ambapo tuliwahoji wenyeji wa Sudan Kusini na wafanyakazi wa mashirika mbalimbali nchini Sudan Kusini. Utafiti huu umebaini kuwa Kiswahili kimeingia Sudan Kusini kwa msaada wa nyenzo mbalimbali kama vile vita, biashara, elimu, maingiliano ya mipakani, dini na ndoa. Utafiti huu pia unajadili baadhi ya vizuizi vinavyoweza kutatiza ukuaji na ueneaji wa Kiswahili katika taifa la Sudan Kusini kama vile tishio kubwa la ushindani na upinzani wa makundi ya lugha za Sudan Kusini na lugha ya Kiarabu ambayo ndiyo lugha ya maenezi mapana, na hali kadhalika lugha ya Kiingereza ambayo ni moja katika lugha zinazoenziwa katika taifa la Sudan Kusini hasa kwa kuwa lugha ya kimataifa. Imebainika pia kuwa sababu kubwa za kujifundisha Kiswahili kwa wenyeji wengi wa Sudan Kusini kumechangiwa na haja ya kutaka kujitambulisha na kujinasibisha na makundi mbalimbali ya Afrika Mashariki. Utafiti huu unahoji pia kuwa mustakabali wa lugha ya Kiswahili utategemea sera ya lugha nchini Sudan Kusini na utekelezaji wa matakwa ya Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki ya kufanya Kiswahili kuwa lugha ya maenezi mapana katika eneo la Afrika Mashariki nakopatikana nchi ya Sudan Kusini. / This paper examines the spread of Swahili to South Sudan. It explores the challenges of the language in South Sudan and its potential future status and use. Data from this study were collected through interviews with South Sudanese residents and employees of various organizations. The study reveals that Swahili has gained ground in South Sudan due to war, trade, education, cross-border interaction, religion and marriage practices. This study also discusses some of the impeding barriers to the growth and spread of the language, e.g., with reference to the status and use Arabic and English. It is also observed that among the main reasons for learning Swahili for many South Sudanese people is the need to identify with other East Africans. The study also argues that the future of the language will depend on the language policies in South Sudan and the implementation of the East African Community's aspirations to make Swahili a widespread language beyond its core regions.

[pt] A Língua Portuguesa no Brasil - uma política de homogeneização lingüística analisa, dentro do referencial da Política Lingüística no Brasil, o tema específico da inadequação das ações de política lingüística adotadas no país desde sua colonização até os tempos atuais. Embora a implementação de uma política lingüística coerente com as características nacionais ainda não tenha ocorrido, ações políticas sobre as línguas são praticadas desde a colonização do país. Em cada um dos momentos históricos mais significativos para o país - Brasil Colônia, Império, República antes da Constituição de 1988 e após a mesma - foram verificados os malefícios e benefícios que a política de línguas vigente na época impunha a todas as línguas presentes no contexto. A partir de uma pesquisa bibliográfica e através do levantamento de documentos oficiais, faz-se um retrospecto crítico das ações de política lingüística no Brasil. Ações, em geral, inadequadas, as quais se deve o atual status da língua portuguesa como língua nacional no Brasil. Essas ações originaram, ainda, conseqüências não só para o patrimônio sociocultural do Brasil como também para a sua economia. Essas conseqüências, em sua maioria, podem ser revertidas com a aplicação de uma política lingüística que abranja todas as facetas lingüísticas do país. Contudo, para que essa aplicação seja alcançada são necessárias mudanças na estrutura educacional do país para que a mentalidade de país monolíngüe seja extirpada do Brasil. / [en] The Portuguese Language in Brazil - a linguistic homogeneization politics analyzes, taking as reference the Language Politics in Brazil, the specific theme of the inadequacy of the actions of language politics adopted in the country since its colonization until the present days. Although the implementation of a linguistic politics coherent with the national characteristics has yet not being occurred, political actions over languages are practiced since the country colonization. In each of the most significant historical moments for the country - Brazil Colony, Empire, Republic before the Constitution of 1988 and after it - were verified the maleficences and benefits that the language politics in force at the time brings to all the languages in the context. From a bibliographical research and from de raising of official documents, it is done a critical retrospection of the actions of language politics in Brazil. Actions, in general, inadequate that are responsible for the national language current status of Portuguese in Brazil. Those actions originated, yet, consequences not only for the Brazil social-cultural patrimony but also for its economy. Those consequences, for the most part, can be reverted with the application of a language politics that embrace all linguistics facets of the country. Nevertheless, for being reach this application, changes are necessary in the country educational structure so that the mentality of a monolingual country could be extinct of Brazil.

[pt] A pesquisa O ensino de línguas estrangeiras como um fator de inclusão social: o desafio da francofonia no Rio de Janeiro tem por objetivo analisar o efeito das políticas lingüísticas para o ensino de línguas estrangeiras no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, partindo de um pressuposto básico da sociolingüística que é aquele que propõe estabelecer uma relação entre língua e sociedade. Esta análise considera dados provenientes do contexto histórico, econômico e cultural de alguns municípios do Estado selecionados para este estudo. Consideramos a inserção sócio-econômica dos cidadãos nas regiões estudadas como um dos critérios para julgar a eficácia das políticas lingüística adotadas. Para tanto, consideramos as políticas lingüísticas no domínio das línguas estrangeiras levando primeiramente em conta as medidas legalmente explicitadas através de leis e decretos, assim como procuramos mostrar de que modo uma parcela da sociedade resolve as lacunas relacionadas à oferta de ensino de línguas no sistema educacional. / [en] This study analyzes the effect of language policies for the teaching of foreign languages in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, based on the basic postulate of sociolinguistics - that of establishing a relation between language and society. Our analysis takes into account a set of data derived from the historical, economic and social context of a few selected municipalities of the State. We consider the socioeconomic insertion of citizens in the regions under investigation as one of the criteria to evaluate the efficiency of the language policies adopted. Thus, we consider the language policies as reflected in the teaching of foreign languages, taking into account, first of all, the legal means and measures, as expressed in laws and decrees. We also attempt to show how a part of the society fills the gaps related to foreign language teaching-or the lack thereof- in the educational system. / [fr] Ce travail a pour but d analyser l effet des politiques linguistiques sur l enseignement des langues étrangères à l tat de Rio de Janeiro, prenant par principe l un des concepts de bases de la sociolinguitsique qui propose d établir un lien entre langue et société. Cette analyse prend en compte des données issues du contexte historique, économique et culturel de quelques municipalités de l État . Nous avons consideré l insertion sócio-économique des citoyens des régions étudiées comme l nun des critères d évaluation de l efficacité des politiques linguistiques adoptées. Notre point de départ ont été les politiques des langues étrangères explicitées à travers des lois et des décrets pour ensuite vérifier comment la société agit face aux lacunes concernant l offre de l enseignement des langues dans le système éducationnel. / [es] Este trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar el efecto de las políticas lingüísticas para enseñar lenguas extranjeras en el Estado de Rio de Janeiro, partiendo del principio básico de la sociolingüística que es aquel que propone establecer una relación entre lengua y sociedad. Este análisis considera datos provenientes del contexto histórico, económico y cultural de algunos municipios del Estado. Consideramos la inserción socio-económica de los ciudadanos en las regiones estudiadas como uno de los criterios para juzgar la eficacia de las políticas lingüísticas adoptadas. Para tal efecto, consideramos las medidas legalmente explicitadas a través de leyes y decretos y posteriormente, si tales políticas corresponden a los perfiles de los municipios. / [de] Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, ausgehend von der grundlegenden Annahme der Soziolinguistik, die eine Beziehung zwischen Sprache und Gesellschaft herstellt, die Auswirkungen der sprachpolitischen Maßnahmen auf den Fremdsprachenunterricht im Bundesstaat von Rio de Janeiro zu analysieren. Die vorliegende Analyse stützt sich auf Daten des historischen, wirtschaftlichen und kulturellen Kontexts einiger Regierungsbezirke des Bundesstaats, die für diese Studie ausgewählt wurden. Die sozioökonomische Integration der Bürger in die untersuchten Regionen wird als eines der Kriterien benutzt, um die Effizienz der sprachpolitischen Maßnahmen zu beurteilen. Dafür wird die Sprachpolitik bezüglich der Fremdsprachenbeherrschung berücksichtigt, v.a. solche Maßnahmen, die rechtsgültig durch Gesetze und Dekrete ausgedrückt werden und darauf folgend wird untersucht, ob diese den Anforderungen der Bezirkskreise entsprechen.