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Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 1327

Part of General Paper Session (Other abstracts in this session)

The Interaction of Language Policy, Minority Languages & New Media: Facebook

Authors: Lenihan, Aoife
Submitted by: Lenihan, Aoife (University of Limerick, Ireland)

Previous research theorises language policy as explicit language legislation or planning efforts carried out by the state in a ‘top-down’ manner and as operating within a vacuum, managing one language and one linguistic modification, language revival, literacy development, etc. (Kaplan, 1994). Media were seen as a ‘domain’ through which language planners could ‘channel’ their endeavours, however, the new globalised media context challenges these conceptualisations. The communicative landscape has changed exponentially over the past decade and so too have the contexts of production and reception (Johnson & Ensslin, 2007). The re-ordering of discursive contexts, increased public participation and interactivity have changed the notion of co-presence where language users are (ibid). But new technologies have also heightened the linguistic reflexivity of language users and the policing and disciplining of language, discourse and communication (ibid). As Kaplan and Bauldauf (1997) write, companies, groups and individuals are now impacting on the language situation. In the current context language policy must be conceptualised and investigated in an expanded sense, its remit being all decisions made about language on any level, explicit or implicit, overt or covert (Shohamy, 2006; Schiffman, 1996; 2006).

This research investigates ‘top-down’ language policy and also the increasingly ‘bottom-up’ language practices and covert policies in new media. It aspires to draw conclusions about how to situate and perhaps redefine both ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ language policies and their roles in language policy and practice with regard to minority languages. The case study is the Facebook ‘Translations’ application, which is an application Facebook users can add to their profile on the site. It facilitates the translation of the Facebook website from the original US English into 105 languages (as of January 2012) by Facebook users. Theusers participating in this translation effort are known as ‘translators’ and are demarcated in communities according to the language they are translating. How Facebook manage localisation and multilingualism via the ‘Translation’ application appears to challenge the dichotomy of ‘top-down’/‘bottom-up’ in language policy. It cannot be described simply as a ‘top-down’ or ‘bottom-up’ language policy effort, rather many levels of language policy both ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ are involved. This paper will consider the ‘hybrid’ model that is evolving on Facebook, its possibilities and consequences for minority language communities and for wider theoretical conceptualisations of language policy.

Johnson, S. and Ensslin, A. (2007) 'Introduction: Language in the Media: Theory & Practice' in Johnson, S. and Ensslin, A., eds., Language in the media: theory and practice,London: Continuum.

Kaplan, R. B. (1994) 'Language Policy and Planning: Fundamental Issues', Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 14, 3-19.

Kaplan, R. B. and Baldauf Jr, R. B., eds. (1997) Language Planning: From Practice to Theory, Clevedon:Multilingual Matters.

Schiffman, H. F. (1996) Linguistic Culture and Language Policy, New York:Routledge.

Schiffman, H. F. (2006) 'Language Policy and Linguistic Culture' in Ricento, T., ed. An Introduction to Language Policy Theory and Method,Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Shohamy, E. (2006) Language Policy: Hidden Agendas and New Approaches, London:Routledge.