The Politics of Language : Conflict, Identity, and Cultural Pluralism in Comparative Perspective

Important aspects of the history of language in the United States remain shrouded in myth and legend. The notion of "one nation, one language" is part of the idealized history of the United States, although in its short history it has probably been host to more bilingual people than any other country in the world. Language is more than a means of communication. It brings into play an entire range of experiences and attitudes toward life. Furthermore, language is a potent symbolic issue because it links power and political claims of ownership with psychological demands for group worth. How people belonging to different language and cultural communities live together in the same political community and how political and structural tensions arise to divide them along language lines, are questions addressed in The Politics of Language. This book analyzes the historical background and recent controversy over language in the United States and compares it to two official multilingual societies: Canada and Switzerland. It's accessibility as a survey of this topic makes it ideal for courses in linguistics, political science, and sociology. Contents......Page 10 1 Introduction: The Politics of Language, National Identity, and Cultural Pluralism in the United States......Page 14 American Factors Contributing to Language-Based Conflict......Page 15 National Identity, Language, and Nationalism......Page 20 Organization of the Book......Page 22 Views of the Founding Fathers......Page 25 Attempts to Standardize the American English Language......Page 29 The Early Bilingual Tradition......Page 30 Forced Language Assimilation: The Color of Language Politics......Page 33 Summary......Page 41 3 Immigrant Exclusion and Language Restriction in the Twentieth Century......Page 43 High Levels of Immigration and the Heating up of the Melting Pot......Page 44 Language and Racial Restriction and the Ideology of Exclusion......Page 45 Language Acquisition and Racial Inferiority......Page 48 The Rise of U.S. English:Myths and Facts about English-Language Proficiency among U.S. Immigrants and Their Children......Page 55 New Era Immigration: New Cracks in the Melting Pot......Page 60 Summary: Economic and Cultural Factors Contributing to Immigrant Exclusion and Language Restriction......Page 65 4 Language Rights and the Legal Status of English-Only Laws......Page 68 Language Rights and the U.S. Constitution......Page 69 Application of the Equal Protection Clause and Language Rights......Page 70 Protection of Language Rights under the First Amendment......Page 72 Narrow versus Broad Interpretation of National Origin......Page 76 Major Federal Protection for Language Minorities......Page 79 Summary......Page 84 5 Attitudes toward Language, National Identity, and Cultural Pluralism......Page 86 Enactments and Attitudes toward Making English the Offcial Language......Page 87 Public Opinion and Attitudes toward Immigration......Page 90 Support for the American Creed among African Americans, Hispanics, and Whites......Page 93 Latino Citizen and Noncitizen Attitudes toward Language, Immigration, and Social Issues......Page 103 Summary: National Identity and the Ambivalent Role of Language and Immigrants......Page 109 6 Language and Identity Politics in Canada......Page 112 An Overview of Language History in Canada......Page 113 Individual and Group Rights in Canada and the United States......Page 124 Attitudes toward Identity, Diversity, and Multilingualism......Page 128 Summary: Language Politics in Canada and the United States......Page 131 7 Identity and Social Incorporation in Multilingual Switzerland......Page 134 Overview of Language History and Demography in Switzerland......Page 135 Attitudes toward Identity, Diversity, and Multilingualism......Page 143 Demographic, Political, and Institutional Factors Promoting Social Integration......Page 148 Summary......Page 153 8 The Politics of Language in the Late Twentieth Century......Page 155 Ebonics: An Impoverished Dialect?......Page 156 Can Switzerland Provide an Example?......Page 159 Avoiding an American Quebec: Language Issues Concerning Puerto Rican Statehood......Page 161 Proposition 227: Californians Reject Bilingual Education......Page 170 Summary......Page 177 Our Imagined Monolingual History......Page 179 Late-Twentieth-Century Nativism: Race, Class, and Non-English Languages......Page 182 California’s Experience, America’s Future?......Page 183 The Case of Puerto Rico Revisited......Page 186 Language Minorities and the Future......Page 188 Notes......Page 190 Bibliography......Page 200 A......Page 220 C......Page 221 E......Page 222 H......Page 223 K......Page 224 L......Page 225 N......Page 226 R......Page 227 T......Page 228 Z......Page 229 In Its Short History, The United States Has Been The Home Of More Bilingual People Than Any Other Country Int He World. However, The History Of Language In The United States Remains Clouded With Misconceptions. The Idea Of One Nation, One Language Is Part Of The Idealized History Of This Country. Here, Author Carol L. Schmid Shows How Language Is More Than A Means Of Communication--it Represents Experiences And Attitudes In A Society. Further, Language Is A Potent Symbolic Issue Because It Links Power And Political Claims Of Ownership With Psychological Demands For Group Worth. This Book Examines The Ways In Which People Belonging To Different Language And Cultural Communities Live Together In The Same Political Community, And How Political And Structural Tensions Arise To Divide Them Along Language Lines. Schmid Analyzes The Historical Background And Recent Controversy Over Language In The United States, Then Compares The United States To Two Official Multilingual Countries--canada And Switzerland. The Politics Of Language, National Identity, And Cultural Pluralism In The United States -- Historical Background Of Language Protection And Restriction -- Immigrant Exclusion And Language Restriction In The Twentieth Century -- Language Rights And The Legal Status Of English-only Laws -- Attitudes Toward Language, National Identity, And Cultural Pluralism -- Language And Identity Politics In Canada -- Identity And Social Incorporation In Multilingual Switzerland -- The Politics Of Language In The Late Twentieth Century -- Conclusion : The Future Of Language Politics In The United States. Carol L. Schmid. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 189-207) And Index. This book examines the ways in which people belonging to different language and cultural communities live together in the same political community, and how political and structural tensions arise to divide them along language lines. It analyzes the historical background and recent controversy over language in the United States, then compares the United States to two officially multilingual countries--Canada and Switzerland. This volume is suitable for courses in linguistics, political science, and sociology. The book is divided into nine chapters with the following titles: "Introduction: The Politics of Language, National Identity, and Cultural Pluralism in the United States"; "Historical Background of Language Protection and Restriction"; "Immigrant Exclusion and Language Restriction in the Twentieth Century"; "Language Rights and the Legal Status of English-Only Laws"; "Attitudes toward Language, National Identity, and Cultural Pluralism"; "Language and Identity Politics in Canada"; "Identity and Social Incorporation in Multilingual Switzerland"; "The Politics of Language in the Late Twentieth Century"; and "Conclusion: The Future of Language Politics in the United States." A Notes section, bibliography, and subject index are included. (Contains 421 references.) (KFT) This volume surveys and analyzes the historical background of recent controversies over language in the US, and compares the country to two official multilingual societies: Canada and Switzerland.;This book should be suitable for courses in linguistics, political science, and sociology. It is intended for undergraduate students and graduate students interested in the relationship between language and race, ethnic relations, and political sociology This text surveys and analyses the historical background of recent controversies over language in the United States, and compares the U.S. to two official multilingual societies, Canada and Switzerland