EAST-WEST CULTURE LEARNING INSTITUTE AUGUST 1979 VOL. 5. NO.3

qOM

Language Planning in

Mohammad Moniruzzaman*

With the emergence of Bangladesh as a sov- Until 1971, Bangalees constituted the majority ereign country, the purpose and meaning of lan- of Pakistanis. On that basis, they could have claimed guage planning in Bangladesh has changed. Hal's that Bengali alone should be the national language description (1971) of the activities of the Bangla of Pakistan. Instead, Bangalees demanded equal Academy, the Central Board for the Development status of all languages of Pakistan. But people of Bengali and the Department of Bengali at the in power adopted an evasive policy. As they could p University of Dacca in the context of Pakistan is a not impose Urdu, they declared that Bengali and very useful narration of some gains in the late sixties. Urdu would be recognized as national languages But the perspective is now different. but would need further development over a period Bangladesh is probably the only country in con- of no less than ten years. Meanwhile English should temporary history that began its struggle for inde- be used as the official language. (Constitution of pendence with a "Language Movement". During the the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1961) Subse- last days of British India Bengali Muslims constituted quently, two "Development Boards" were set up- about two-thirds of the population of and it one for Bengali in Dacca and one for Urdu in Karachi. was only in Bengal that a non-Congress Muslim The struggle for Bengali continued, eventually turned ministry existed. It was the educated Bengali Muslim into a liberation war and resulted in the establishment class (which included both the upper and middle of Bangladesh in 1971. classes) who helped create Pakistan, the conse- The Bangladesh government declared Bengali quence of a long history of conflict between the as the official language in 1971 and passed laws Hindus and the Muslims (Moniruzzaman 1970). But and orders to use Bengali at all levels. The con- upper-class Muslim immigrants gained control of stitution was written in Bengali. Concerning lan- Pakistan. This ruling class wanted to impose the guage it says: Indian language Urdu as the only national language The State Language of the Republic is Bengali." of Pakistan, suppressing all indigenous languages- (Part I, Article 3) Bengali, Panjabi, Sindhi, Baluchi and Pashtu. and An immediate resistance developed in East Ben- The state shall adopt measures to conserve the gal as early as in 1948. In 1952 many people, cultural traditions and heritage of the people, especially students of Dacca University, laid down and so to foster and improve the national lan- their lives. Later on, a 'Shahid Minar" (Martyr's guage, literature and the arts that all sections Monument) was erected as a memorial to the martyrs of the people... participate." (Part II, Section 23.) of the Language Movement and the Bangla Academy Government notes and orders, parliamentary was established in 1957 to do research on Bengali debates and records began to be expressed in Ben- language and undertake cultural development gali. When Bangladesh was admitted to the United programs. Nations, the head of government, Sheikh Muzibur I Rahman, delivered his speech in the U.N. in Bengali. * The author is Professor and Chairman, Department of Bengali, (Continued on page 3) University of Dacca, Dacca, Bangladesh.

NOW AVAILABLE-The Foreign Language Needs of The project descriptions of current research on US. Corporations Doing Business Abroad by the immigrant worker and communication, particular- Marianne Inman. ERIC (Center for Applied Lin- ly the practical intervention by host country individ- guistics, 1611 North Kent Street, Arlington, Virginia uals and agencies to assist, and the 20 papers ac- I 22209), 1979. companied by discussion give valuable depth insight into migrant language problems in Northern Europe, The volume is Inman's 1977 doctoral dissertation in their social effects, and in research and language to the of Texas, Austin. A re- presented University teaching intervention to handle them. (Björn H. vised version entitled: Foreign Languages, English as Jernudd) a Second/Foreign Language and the U.S. Multi- national is available also ERIC. Corporation through NOW AVAILABLE-The Older Mother of the Executive Tongues Dr. Inman has prepared an Summary United edited C.V. James. 1978. Centre which she has offered to who writes Kingdom by provide anyone for Information on Language Teaching and Research her at: 7-370A J Street, Anchorage, Alaska. Further, (20 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AP). she would like to hear from anyone who has done or 56 pages. is planning work in this area. There are two chapters, one on Welsh and one Major findings of the study are the following: on Scottish Gaelic and a brief interchapter on Irish. 1. The greatest amount of international business Both chapters have a fine list of organizations con- in which the U.S. are involved is corporations cerned with promoting Welsh and Scottish Gaelic. done in Western fol- currently being Europe, Both provide a description of the role of the language lowed Central and Canada, by South America, in the community and in schools. The Welsh chapter the Middle East, and the Far East. has a section "Towards a national language policy." 2. is the most studied U.S. Spanish language by Each contains a select bibliography. nationals going abroad and also the language most involved in translation and interpretation. NOW AVAILABLE-Bilingualism and British Educa- 3. U.S. business abroad corporations doing rely tion: The Dimensions of Diversity Papers from a con- on as the business primarily English language ference on Bilingualism in British Education con- and the means of communication. vened in January, 1976. 1976. Centre for Information 4. Language training is provided to a majority of on Language Teaching and Research (20 Carlton U.S. national employees going overseas and House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AP). 109 pages. outranks technical, cultural, and managerial In addition I training in type of training provided. to 9 papers on various aspects of bi- education, of minorities 5. LSP for lingual problems linguistic (languages Special Purposes) training and the relation of and is included in U.S. national foreign language teaching only rarely there are instruc- bilingualism, reports by working parties, employees' preassignment language of current research in the area and a select tion. reports bibliography. Among the questions considered by 6. Translation and are interpreting requirements the working parties are: (10) Are differences in handled generally by corporate employees educational provision required as between 'migrant' whose are in a area. jobs nonlanguage and 'immigrant' minorities? (2) Language mainte- 7. English is generally the language in which tech- nance for minorities in mainstream schools (3) nical training is given to non U.S. national Minority languages as a foreign language provision employees overseas. (4) Information requirements for educational planning 8. A far greater commitment exists to language and development (5) Teaching English in relation to training for non U.S. national employees than to mother tongues (6) Interrelationship between U.S. national employees. mother tongue and mainstream schools. 9. Language training for non U.S. national em- ployees is overwhelmingly done in English and is to include an LSP a apt (i.e. job-oriented) THE EAST-WEST CENTER is a national educational component. institution established in Hawaii by the U.S. Congress 10. For most companies doing international bus- in 1960 to promote better relations and understanding between the United States and the nations of Asia and iness, language training has played no role in the Pacific through cooperative study, training, and the of their overseas planning operations. research. Each year more than 1, 500 men and women from many nations and cultures work together in problem- oriented institutes or on "open" grants as they seek solu- NOW AVAILABLE-Papers from the first Scandina- tions to problems of mutual consequence to East and navian-German symposium on the language of im- West. For each Center participant from the Asian and workers and their children edited by Norbert Pacific area. The U.S. Congress provides basic funding migrant for and a of awards, and the Center is Dittmar, H. Haberland, T. and U. programs variety Skutnabb-Kangas administered by a public, nonprofit corporation with an I Teleman. Roskilde, March 1923, 1978. ROLIGpapir international Board of Governors. 12, Roskilde Universitetscenter, Postbox 260, 1777 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96848 DK4000 Roskilde, Denmark. 299 pages.

2 LANGUAGE PLANNING NEWSLETTER 9 NO. 3

The Central Board for Development of Bengali was be undertaken in classroom situations and an effec- merged with the Bangla Academy to avoid dupli- tive revision process should be evolved by the Text- cation and to make the Bangia Academy function book Board. more effectively (the Act Bangla Academy 1973). Also the teachers have The medium of instruction for all schools and col- language problems. Teachers at various levels and in different leges became Bengali. An Education Commission subjects need to get help in overcoming possible difficulties was appointed under the chairmanship of the late Dr. Kudrut-e-Khuda. It submitted a in in their use of Bengali for teaching purposes. Very report Bengali little has been in 1975 down an educational done so far in this regard. The same laying language policy: is the a) the medium of instruction at all levels of case with use of Bengali in offices. The 'Munier is a education is to be Bengali. Optima"' typewriter certainly great help but no steps have been taken to set a b) Bengali is to be taught as a compulsory up type- writer production unit in facili- subject from pre-school through the BA. Bangladesh. Training level ties to support the use of Bengali in offices are urgently needed. The Proshashonik Poribhasa, the c) English is to be taught as a foreign language Administrative Terminology Handbook, published at secondary and higher secondary levels by the Bangla is translative rather than d) a Modern Language Institute is to be set up Academy (1975) creative.' it be considered as a with facilities for teaching several modern may beginning but needs thorough revision. languages (e.g. Arabic, Chinese, Russian, German, French, Japanese) to university Scientific and technical terminologies published students and others. by the Bangla Academy are practically in a first draft state. These also await further stan- The Education Commission was followed a development, by dardization and revision. National Curriculum Committee to draw up a cur- riculum for classes I through Xii. It introduced English must be described. Only then which is to be taught from class ill to Xli. The Com- can they be used as a much needed source in mittee also reintroduced the teaching of Arabic, codifying the Standard Colloquial. The Department Sanskrit and Pali (one by student's choice) com- of Bengali at the University of Dacca intends to pulsorily from class Vito Viii and optionally in classes begin a dialect description project in the near future. IX and X, along with courses on religion: Islam, The question of the tribal languages shall have to be Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity depending on included in a program of dialect studies as well. the student's religion. (The first volume of the Com- It may also be mentioned that the Dialect Dictionary mittee's report appeared in 1977, the second volume (1965) of the Bangia Academy, which is a work of in 1978.) monumental proportions, was nevertheless execu- ted with considerable limitations: with the The Textbook Board, a exception Bangladesh government- of the chief editor, the late Professor Muhammad controlled agency providing textbooks up to class X, Shahidullah, all the desk and field assistants were has started publishing books the following guide- more or less untrained in language work or study. lines of the Curriculum Committee. Primary level textbooks have been written and published so far. The Functional Dictionary of Standard Colloquial Books for the secondary level are under preparation, Bengali compiled by the Bangia Academy is yet to to be ready by January 1980. be published in its totality; only a first volume, consisting of vowel entries, has been The sub-committee on the of published (August 1974). the Curriculum Committee has introduced the use of Standard Colloquial Bengali for all textbooks, It can be safely said that most of the language replacing the traditional written form, the Sadhu inadequacies in today's Bangladesh are a result Bang/a. Since literature has been written in the of lack of awareness or slow reactions by the rele- Standard Colloquial for more than half a century vant language planning agencies. and the media-newspapers, radio and television- Taking advantage of the situation, of late, some it, it natural that use too, is only textbooks should attempts are being made by some business-minded use the same standard. individuals to re-open English medium schools, in attract the noveau riche and So much for the gains. But there are inadequa- order to people suffering from a from the But education in an cies, not so much of the language as of people's hangover past. like cannot ability to use it. As a useful tool of correction, a underdeveloped country Bangladesh be left to commercial Education has to graded vocabulary list (especially for use in primary profiteering. be the business of the education) should be prepared by the Textbook government. Board with the help of the institute of Education Bangladesh has converted to using Bengali, the and the University Laboratory School at the Univer- native language of the population. As a result of that I sity of Dacca. (i have raised this matter both as a conversion, language planning has the job of sup- member of the Bengali sub-committee and of the porting the use of Bengali and of developing varieties General Editorial Board of the Textbook Board.) of Bengali in the roles of instruction in schools and Also, continuous evaluation of new textbooks should in government and private-sector offices. It is impor-

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tant to begin research on the dialects of Bengali Language Map of Thailand 1977 and Language Map and on the tribal languages. Finally, language prob- of Thailand Handbook by Jerry W. Gainey and lems arising from the teaching of English as a first Theraphin L. Thongkum, Indigenous Languages of Is foreign language, and the teaching in particular of Thailand Research Project, Central Institute of Arabic but also other foreign languages, require English Language, Office of State Universities 1977. attention from language planning agencies in Bangladesh. The language map shows a surprising language diversity in Thailand: in addition to Thai dialects NOTES spoken throughout the country, there are 75 other varities of language in seven language families The late Professor Munier of the of Department located on it. Unfortunately it was not within the Bengali at the University of Dacca developed a Bengali type- means of this writer keyboard for the Central Board for Development of pioneering mapping project to go Bengali in the late 60's. The typewriter was produced by deeply into language and dialect relationships, norto the East German firm Optima in 1970. Professor Munier map historical affiliations between varieties, but as a critic and Chowdhury, playwright, linguist, was killed on the Handbook explains, much valuable data was col- the 14th of December 1971 by al-Badar, a of subsidiary lected through the and limited fieldwork that the Pakistan occupation army. After liberation, the Bengali enqu6te served as the main typewriter was named after him. Hence, "Munier-Optima". instruments for this first map. I analyzed this point in a Bangladesh Television book review Many problems of naming of varieties of speaking, in program 1975. and location of speakers were unearthed. Dialect hypothesis have been formed. The Indigenous Lan- References guages of Thailand Research Project is now at work to solve these problems for a second, revised edition Bangla Academy. 1973. The Bang/a Academy Act. Dacca. of this most useful map. (Björn H. Jernudd) Bangla Academy. 1975. Proshashonik Poribhasha. Dacca Bangladesh, People's Republic of. Sangbidhan (Constitution). Hal, Muhammad Abdul. 1971. The Development of after Bengali The Language Map of Africa and the adjacent the Establishment of Pakistan. In Rubin, Joan & Björn H. Jernudd, islands, and handbook, Provisional edition, eds. Can Language Be Planned? Honolulu: The University Press map by of Hawaii. Pp. 189-192 (paper written in 1967). David Dalby, International African Institute, London Huq, Muhammad Enamul, ed. 1974. ByaboharikBang/a Ovidhan, 1977. Swandvarna Khanda. Dacca. Bangla Academy. Moniruzzaman, Mohammad. 1970. Adhunik Bang/a Kavye Hindu- "The map has been drawn to a scale of Musa/man Samparka (Hindu-Muslim Relations in Modern Ben- a gali Poetry). Dacca: Bangla Academy. 1:5,000,000 with insets of more complex areas en- Pakistan. 1961. Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. larged ... The map is designed to show: Shahidullah, Muhammad, ed. 1973. Bang/adesher Ancho/ik Bhashar Ovidhan (1st ed., 1965, title: Purbo Pakistani Ancho/ik the approximate modern geographical dis- Bhashar Ovidhan) Dacca: Bangla Academy reprint. tribution of home languages in Africa, based on majority first language usage in the home..

2. a revised classification of African lan- Editor....foun Ruhin guages, based on known levels of historical Associate Editor...Bjbrn H, Jernudc Editorial Hoard relationship." M. H. AbdLilaiiz The Handbook explains criteria and proce- Joshua Hshman dures to achieve these two objectives and lists the Bertil VIolde conventions employed for the codification and no- Monsur Musa menclature of African languages in its first part liE Neustupn (pages 1-22); the second part (pages 23-63) is a checklist of African languages which "provides a Copies are available free o[ charge. Changes of ar classified index to the language and dialect names dress and requests to be placed on the mailing list recorded on the Language Map" and also an alpha- should be addressed to: betical index for the same names. William Feltz Language Planning Newsletter The map may seem graphically forbidding atfirst East -West Culture learning Institute glance, but detailed study is highly rewarding. It is East'West Center no exaggeration to say that this is the first valid map HonolLilu, Hawaii 96848 USA to show the distribution of African languages and All other correspondence should he addressed to their interrelationships. It ought to replace other the editor: maps forthwith. (Björn H. Jernudd) Dr. Joan Rubiri Language & Reading Division I Department oi Education University of California Berkeley, CA 94720 USA

4 LANGUAGE PLANNING NEWSLETTER S NO. 3

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PREPARATION OF SWAHILI TECHNICAL TERMS " an increase at all levels of the business firm, including the board of directors, in the num- According to S.J. Mama, executive secretary of ber of persons having a good knowledge of Baraza La Kishwahili La Taifa (The National Swahili the French language so as to generalize its Council), are now Swahili technical they preparing use; terms for several subjects taught in secondary " the use of French as the of work schools in Tanzania. These technical terms cover language and as the of internal communica- such subjects as geography, mathematics, physics, language tions; chemistry, biology, engineering, economics and " the use of French in communications with commerce. The Council is currently working on clients, and the physics, chemistry and biology since they have com- suppliers public; pleted the terms for other subjects mentioned above " the use of French terminology; for Form 1-VI of the schools. Their secondary objec- " the use of French in advertising; tive is to ensure that Swahili is used as a language of " appropriate policies for hiring, promotion in schools and other institu- instruction secondary and transfer. tions of higher learning as from 1982. Various panels have been set up in collaboration with the Ministry of Francization programs must, of course, take National Education to see to it that books are trans- account of the situation of persons who are near re- lated and are ready for use by 1982. tirement or of persons who have long records of ser- For those interested, Mr. Mama has prepared a vice with the business firm. paper on the process of standardizing Swahili vocab- It must likewise take account of the relations of ulary. Mr. Mama's address is: National Swahili business firms with the exterior and of the particular Council, P0 Box 4766, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. case of head offices established in Quebec by bus- iness firms whose activities extend outside Quebec. The Act also provides that business firms employing one hundred or more persons must form a francization committee composed of at least six per- FRANCIZATION OF BUSINESS FIRMS IN QUEBEC sons, of whom at least two shall represent the (Editor's note: One of the most unique experiments in workers. Procedure for their appointment is as language planning is now being implemented in the follows: Province of Quebec, Canada, namely, the promotion *where there is only one association that rep- of the sector of Bill 101 which obliges business firms resents the majority of the employees, that to encourage greater use of French in theirfirms. The association shall designate the employees following is taken from a brochure published by the representatives; Office de la langue and kindly sent to us by " française where several associations represent to- Louise Lessard, relations officer) public gether the majority of the employees, these associations One of the primary objectives of Bill 101, passed may, by agreement, designate the on August 26, 1977, is to assure francization of com- employees' representatives; *in the munications in all sectors of Quebec activity and, absence of an agreement or in other more specifically, in all firms doing business in cases, the representatives shall be elected by the of the Quebec. The section of the Act on francization ap- body employees in accordance with methods determined the plies to all business firms, including public utility by firm's man- firms, having fifty or more employees. Not later than agement. December 31, 1983, all such firms must hold afranci- It is the task of this committee to analyse the zation certificate issued by the Office de la langue language situation in the firm and make a report to francaise. the management of the firm for forwarding to the Any business firm which does not this possess Office de la langue francaise. On the basis of this certificate of francization on the prescribed date is analysis, the Office de la langue francaise shall de- liable, in addition to costs, to a fine of $100 to $2,000 cide whether or not the business firm must adopt and for each day during which it carries on its business apply a francization program. If the decision is that without the certificate. This certificate attests either it must, the firm shall entrust the drafting of the ap- that the business firm is following a francization pro- propriate program and the supervision of its applica- the Office de la gram approved by langue francaise tion to its francization committee. The Office de la or that French already enjoys the status in the firm langue francaise may suspend or cancel the certif- that such programs are designed to ensure. The icate of any firm failing to comply with its francization francization programs, which must be introduced in program or no longer observing the other obligations all firms in which French has not attained the required imposed under the Act. In its annual report, the status, is intended to generalize the use of French at Office de la langue francaise shall indicate the can- all levels of the firm. It I comprises: cellations of certificates it has declared and the busi- " a of French on the man- knowledge part of ness firms that have failed to obtain francization cer- agement, members of professional corpora- tificates within the prescribed time or to form the tions and other members of the personnel; required francization committee.

NO. 3 " LANGUAGE PLANNING NEWSLETTER 5

CONGRESS: National Congress on Languages in (c) Language Policies" in schools with special Education reference to cooperation between teach- ers of less commonly taught languages The first assembly of the National Congress on should be included. Languages in Education (NCLE) was held at the Uni- (d) The application of experience and know- versity of Durham, Durham, England, on July 36, ledge gained in teaching English as a 1978. At a series of plenary sessions the following second/foreign language (overseas) to subjects were discussed: the role of English as a assist teaching both English and foreign mother tongue in secondary schools; the role of languages in Britain. mother tongues other than English; the role of (e) The role of foreign languages in relation to modern foreign languages; the relationship between industry and commerce. first and second language acquisition; the assess- ment of mother tongue and foreign language teach- ing; the general linguistic education of children; the implications for higher education and teacher- training. MEETING: Africa and the Media The NCLE originated in 1974 from an agreement There will be two panels of interest to language between of a number of associa- representatives planners at the forthcoming African Studies Associa- tions and concerned with organizations languages tion to be held October 31 - November 3, at all in meeting levels of education Britain to establish a 1979 in Los California. The first national forum for discussion and for Angeles, panel orga- machinery nized by Brian Weinstein is entitled: Language Plan- studying and reporting on problems of common con- ning and Socioeconomic Change in Africa." The cern. It was envisaged that the work of the Congress papers to be presented are: should be continuous, carried on means primarily by Carol M. Scotton "Language and of which would be asked to Planning expert working parties Socioeconomic in East Africa" and on Their find- Change study report particular problems. Hailu Fulass "Issues in Language Planning and ings would be presented to a biennial representative Development" Assembly, which in its turn would then sub- identify Gary Garrison "Language Planning and Uni- jects for new to the next working parties leading up versity Science Education in Egypt" Assembly. B.W. "The New in In 1976, two were Andrzejewski Terminology working parties established to Somali for Science and Math" report to the first in 1978. One under the assembly Brian Weinstein "Language Planning in Franco- chair of Professor E.W. Hawkins was to study: The Africa" to be accorded to nonnative phone priorities languages at Joan Rubin "Discussion of all levels of education in Britain. Another, under the Papers" The second is Carol Scotton chair of Professor A. Spicer would study: The rela- panel organized by and is entitled: as Social tionship between the acquisition/teaching of the "Language Spread Change in Africa." The to be are: mother tongue and the learning/teaching of other papers presented G. Bokamba "The languages. Eyamba Expansion of Lingala and its Social in Africa" Administrative and secretarial support has hith- Implications erto been provided by the Centre for Information on Gayle Partmann "The Spread of French and African and in the Language Teaching and Research (20 Carlton Languages Development Coast" House Terrace, London SW1 5AP, England) and it is Ivory Lawrence B. Breithborde "Social intended that most of these papers will be published Organization and the Liberian Case" by CILT in the near future. CILT has agreed to con- Language Spread: Carol M. Scotton "The of Francas tinue to provide the secretariat for the Congress and Spread Lingua and SocioEconomic in Africa" administrative support for those working parties Integration whose subjects are within CILT's terms of reference. Further information on the program can be obtained The next Assembly will be held in July, 1980. from: Benetta Jules-Rosette The following subjects were recommended to ASA Program Director the new Standing Committee as suitable for new Sociology Department working parties: University of California (a) The assessment of performance in modern La Jolla, California 92093 languages in a context of aims, objectives and motivation in secondary and tertiary education. Special attention could be given to the 16-19 group. (b) The inservice training of language teachers (including teachers of mother tongues) and its relationship to the probationary year. Provision for teachers of less commonly taught languages should be included.

6 LANGUAGE PLANNING NEWSLETTER " NO. 3