Abstract
This chapter is composed of three sections. The first examines the manner in which minority language governance and regulation has been developed within the context of the regulatory state. Attention is paid to the role of Ombudsmen, Commissioners, and Regulators; after outlining their general contribution, the chapter then provides a case study example of the potential of the International Association of Language Commissioners (IALC). The second section illustrates the interplay of these general factors by reference to the detailed Irish case study, which shows why and how language governance and regulation is such a complex issue. The current Irish policy, legislative, and regulatory framework reflect an awkward mixture of the historical approach to Irish as the ‘national language’ and more contemporary ideological stances that treat it as a minority concern far from the daily work of the state apparatus. The conclusion draws out the implications of the IALC and Irish illustration for minority language vitality, arguing that while in many cases the supportive infrastructure for language promotion, protection, and regulation may be in place, the acid test of the adequacy of such developments is their implementation within the relevant jurisdiction and their full incorporation into the machinery of government.
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Notes
- 1.
We are concerned here with minority languages in jurisdictions such as the BasqueCountry, Catalonia, Ireland, the UK, and Canada; although they may have achieved constitutional status as official languages, they are still considered in need of protection and formal regulation in order to remain vital elements of everyday life.
- 2.
Alliance de recherché universités-communautés/Community-University Research Alliance.
- 3.
Prior to UK devolution, the Welsh Office discharged its remit on language promotion and regulation through the non-statutory WLB a quango, established by the UK Conservative Government in 1989, to act as a sounding board for the development of Welsh-medium services.
- 4.
Williams questioned the original settlement of the Welsh Language Act 1993 and concluded that in vesting public institutions with language obligations, whilst eliding over the issue of individual language rights, the 1993 Act had fallen far short of establishing Welsh as a co-equal language (Williams 1994, 2000).
- 5.
The 11 Board members were appointed by the Secretary of State for Wales and they devoted two days a month to the activities of this quango. The day-to-day work of the Board was undertaken by initially 30, subsequently 84, staff members divided into seven areas, namely, policy, public and voluntary sector, grants and private sector, education and training, marketing and communication, finance, and administration.
- 6.
The NAfW TWF project came to an end in 2016; for details please visit http://cymraeg.llyw.cymru/learning/cymraegiblant/?lang=en
- 7.
The proposed Commission would follow the logic and be broadly similar to the revised version of a model suggested by the WLB as its successor agency in April 2012.
- 8.
The IALC made a powerful submission to the review process in 2017 pointing out from international experience some of the ways in which promotion and regulation may be better integrated; for details see http://languagecommissioners.org/documents/LettertoWelshGovernmentonbehalfofIALC.pdf
- 9.
For access to OCOL’s Annual Reports please visit http://www.officiallanguages.gc.ca/en
- 10.
The initiative followed advice given by Peadar Ó Flatharta and Colin H Williams to the founding Coimisinéir Teanga, Sean O Cuirreáin to co-operate with other similar office holders, and together they organised a conference on the theme of Language Rights in Dublin in May 2013 during which they proposed the establishment of the IALC.
- 11.
The presentations are available at http://www.coimisineir.ie/index.php?page=news&news_id=118&lang=eng
- 12.
Williams acted as rapporteur and adviser on future directions; please see http://www.researchcatalogue.esrc.ac.uk/grants/ES.J003093.1/outputs/read/f07e30fc-8c14-4709-b3d5-07d5e0a497be. For an independent critique of the conference please visit https://cosmopolitique.org/2013/05/25/international-conference-on-language-rights-dublin-may-24-2013/
- 13.
For details on the IALC please visit http://languagecommissioners.org/welcome.php?lang=1
- 14.
For details on the conference please visit http://www.languagecommissioners.org/documents/PROGRAMME_DELEGATES_INTERNATIONAL_FINAL.pdf. For a video record of the proceedings please visit http://www.sindic.cat/en/page.asp?id=269. For a report on the conference please visit http://www.languagecommissioners.org/documents/IALC-Barcelona-Conference-Report.pdf
- 15.
For the programme see http://www.languagecommissioners.org/documents/Program_EN.pdf
- 16.
For information please visit the IALC Website at www.languagecommissioners.org
- 17.
http://www.ireland.ie/eveants/international-association-language-commissioners-conference-2016 and a for a copy of the programme please visit http://www.coimisineir.ie/downloads/Clar_na_Comhdhala.pdf
- 18.
For details please visit COST Action IS1306 New Speakers in a Multilingual Europe: Opportunities and Challenges: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/isch/Actions/IS1306
- 19.
This translates as ‘the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages’ but is referred to in its Irish form in the English version of the legislation. The English text refers to the holder of the office as ‘An Coimisinéir Teanga’ and states that the individual is referred to as ‘the Commissioner’ in the Act.
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Acknowledgements
Colin H. Williams wishes to acknowledge the support of Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) grant ES/J003093/1 which allowed Dr. P. Carlin, Prof D. Mac Giolla Chríost, and Prof Colin H. Williams to examine the role of Language Commissioners in comparative perspective. John Walsh would like to thank the Irish Language Commissioner, Rónán Ó Domhnaill, for his comments on a draft. Work on this material was facilitated by the authors’ membership of the COST Action IS1306 ‘New Speakers in a Multilingual Europe: Opportunities and Challenges’. Both authors were also members of the team Les Savoirs de la gouvernance communautaire led by Prof Linda Cardinal, Political Science, University of Ottawa, and we are grateful to our colleagues in Ottawa for sharing with us their Canadian expertise. This chapter has been improved by the critical comments of an anonymous reviewer for which we are grateful. We would like to dedicate this chapter to our former colleague Dr Peadar Ó Flatharta of An Cheathrú Rua, Galway and Dublin City University. Peadar dedicated his life to working tirelessly for language rights for Irish speakers but died prematurely in 2016 before his mission was complete. He is greatly missed. Go raibh suaimhneas síoraí aige.
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Williams, C.H., Walsh, J. (2019). Minority Language Governance and Regulation. In: Hogan-Brun, G., O’Rourke, B. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Minority Languages and Communities. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54066-9_4
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