Gerald Roche’s Post

New book chapter is out. It is titled "Unsettling Coloniality of Language: English in Contexts Colonized by Other Languages". This chapter argues that some peripheries are making use of the coloniality of language by advancing English as a decolonial option to undo the lingering legacies of colonial languages such as French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian. That is, some peripheries are replacing linguistic colonialism with linguistic coloniality. It posits that the political instrumentalisation of language betrays the Moroccan state’s failures to signal a true (post)colony as it sustains supposedly ‘liberal’ and ‘progressive’ language policies that enforce English to earn acceptance from the dominant and hegemonic Anglosphere of the world. https://lnkd.in/gF3c5yaa

Dr. Abduweli Ayup recently won the Global Coalition for Language Rights (GCLR)' first annual Language Rights Defenders award! 🏆 Abduweli Ayup is a Uyghur activist, poet, and linguist who has consistently fought to protect and promote the Uyghur language both in China and within the Uyghur diaspora around the world. to kick off the week, we're sharing Abduweli Ayup's interview with the GCLR about his work. he shares insights on: → the background on what the Uyghurs have been experiencing including mass arrests and forced assimilation → the relationship between violence & linguistic assimilation → his activism and the the critical role of language in democracy, cultural preservation, and human dignity. you can also learn about the real-life impact of some of his work, including Bergen University's decision to cancel their contract with a Chinese solar company linked to forced Uyghur labor following his campaign. 🔗 read the full interview (and find links to learn more about his work) here: https://lnkd.in/eHJzaSZB let us know what you think! #LanguageRights #Uyghur #NoJusticeWithoutLanguageRights #Languages #LanguageRightsAreHumanRights

I am delighted that the #article ‘Language as a diasporic stance: Polish in a migrant urban space’ that I wrote with Yaron Matras has now been published in Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, and is available in #OpenAccess: https://lnkd.in/d6pRA2H4 In the article we examine the role of the Polish #language in shaping single transactions and durable social bonds and in demarcating interaction spaces among Polish immigrants in a UK metropolitan area. Language choice can be essential, in that it cannot be replaced by a substitute. Therefore, it is either constitutive of an action routine in the sense that it lends a particular performative character to a practice; or casual, in that it accompanies a routine but is of little symbolic function and contributes little to performing belonging. We identify a spread of features of language across different practices, prompting reflection on the role of language as a co-defining indicator of #diaspora communities.

As specialists in Pacific Islands languages, we're observing China's evolving approach to language rights protection and international engagement. China's domestic experience with language preservation, combined with its growing presence in the Pacific through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), raises intriguing possibilities for Pacific Islands language preservation https://lnkd.in/gd9sCTat

As specialists in Pacific Islands languages, we're observing China's evolving approach to language rights protection and international engagement. China's domestic experience with language preservation, combined with its growing presence in the Pacific through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), raises intriguing possibilities for Pacific Islands language preservation https://lnkd.in/gd9sCTat

Language documentation and preservation efforts are essential for safeguarding linguistic diversity, but they are not without controversy. Proponents stress the importance of recording endangered languages to ensure their survival and empower marginalized communities. Critics, however, raise concerns about the dominance of Western scholars and institutions in these projects, which can lead to exploitation and misrepresentation. Additionally, questions arise about the underlying assumptions of language documentation, particularly regarding notions of language "purity" and "authenticity." The debate highlights ethical, cultural, and political considerations, including how to respect the autonomy of indigenous communities and address power imbalances. Moving forward, it's crucial to approach language documentation with humility, respect, and sensitivity to diverse perspectives. Collaboration and dialogue between researchers and community members are essential to achieve the dual goals of preserving linguistic diversity and promoting equitable partnerships in the pursuit of language revitalization. #culture #sustainability #diversity

In the US, President Biden's administration has recently launched a national plan to protect, preserve, and revitalize Indigenous languages. Learn more about language revitalization in our blog article here: What You Need to Know About Indigenous Language Revitalization https://hubs.la/Q02_7PMm0

Indigenizing media content or indigenizing media language? Most dicussions on education and language policy often leave out the media yet the media plays an extremely crucial role in advancing discourses on culture and identity, whose backbone is language and language use. How does the media through films, tv and radio ensure that the content aired in the indigenous languages create a platform for the society, whose cultures and identities being represented, to participate in global issues within the context of their own cultural values and beliefs? Does the use of indigenous languages alongside indigenizing the content make these cultures less global? #VADConference2024 #UniversityofBayreuthGermany #reconfiguringafricanstudies #indigenizingglobalization #politicaleconomyofindigenouslanguageuseinmedia

In the US, President Biden's administration has recently launched a national plan to protect, preserve, and revitalize Indigenous languages. Learn more about language revitalization in our blog article here: What You Need to Know About Indigenous Language Revitalization https://hubs.la/Q02_7M1t0

On National Indigenous Languages Day, we invite you to learn more about the language rights affirmed in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, now available in Inuktitut (South Baffin), Inuinnaqtun, Michif and seven First Nations languages. Read them here: https://lnkd.in/g8w2asF The UN Declaration affirms Indigenous peoples’ right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit their histories, languages and oral traditions to future generations. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dbNQ3jx9 #IndigenousLanguages #UNDRIP #IndigenousRights