Presents two views on recognizing English as the official language of the U.S. Proponents say it will help immigrants advance themselves and will bind Americans together. Critics argue that the amendment does not increase English proficiency but punishes those who have not learned; it also heightens racism and xenophobia. (LHW)

The teaching of national languages in Zaire is examined, underscoring the lack of an adequate infrastructure for defining a global policy. It is suggested that such policymaking must involve the collaboration of decision makers, scholars, teachers, scientific organizations, publishers, and translators and must consider economics and existing…

The status of French in Morocco is ambiguous: it is neither an official language nor a foreign language, and it would benefit greatly from an official definition that would allow a variety of language conflicts to be resolved. (MSE)

In view of the confused status of French in relation to Arabic in the Maghreb countries, it is proposed that the best educational direction is to emphasize productive language and the recognition of written text in French language instruction. (MSE)

Reviews language planning theory and discusses language planning in South Africa, both historically and in a postapartheid context. A politically minimal approach is suggested for the postapartheid state, where individuals would receive instruction in English, while being encouraged or allowed to maintain their native languages. (21 references)…

Central concerns in the movement to make English the official language of the United States are reviewed, publications and activities of two major organizations supporting it are compared, and basic assumptions and directions of the movement are criticized. (21 references) (MSE)

The privileged position of English in Zambia is discussed, followed by an argument that using English as the language of instruction is counterproductive. Practical and sociocultural implications of teaching "standard" English are considered. (28 references) (Author/LB)

Discusses attempts to make English the official language of the United States, examines the pros and cons, and describes the impact of these efforts on libraries. An example at the Monterey Park Public Library (California) is examined; meeting the needs of all members of the community is addressed; and possible future outlooks are suggested. (four…

Suggests that racism may be the motivation for the English-only laws passed in 18 states. Cites studies showing the benefits of bilingual education over English immersion. Concludes that the English-only movement would impede the delivery of psychological, educational, psychometric, and health services for many American residents. (DM)

Although Kiswahili has been successfully promoted as the medium of primary and adult education in Tanzania, its position in secondary and tertiary levels is still precarious. Suggests that Kiswahili become the language of instruction in secondary schools, with English taught as a foreign language. (DMM)

Suggests the possibility of mapping each person's linguistic identity in two dimensions: the number of languages spoken and the situation-specific variants of each language. Discusses the academic disadvantages associated with particular socioeconomic variants, particularly low-class speech/accents. Advocates greater tolerance of variation and…

This response to an article on the effect of recent developments (particularly globalization and advances in technology) on the production and perception of language focuses on two issues discussed in the article: the nature of translation and the role of universities in translation training. (Author/VWL)

This response to an article on the effect of recent developments (particularly globalization and advances in technology) on the production and perception of language comments on the current political trends of globalization and its extreme counterpart tribalism and the impact of these on existing cultural identities or popular stereotypes for…

Analyzes the ideological underpinnings of language policies in Galicia, an autonomous community in northwestern Spain where Galician and Spanish enjoy co-official status. Describes and critiques the politically hegemonic (or official) and non-hegemonic (nationalist) overt language policies in Galicia, and discusses the linguistic culture of…

Discussion of the establishment of a single language for Europe's many countries and cultures focuses on the debate over English versus Esperanto as the language of choice. It is argued that the notion that language has not been a major barrier to intellectual exchange is a myth. In addition, while the main European political institutions support…