{"title":"The complementary nature of linguistic mediation in transnational adoption mobility","authors":"A. Fiorentino","doi":"10.1075/LPLP.00026.FIO","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/LPLP.00026.FIO","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 In order to explore why people in multilingual contexts choose one mediation strategy or another, we conducted case studies involving short-term mobility for adoption purposes. For parents who adopt a child born in a different country, the experience necessitates a range of linguistic strategies that include language learning, interpreting and translation services, lingua francas, and intercomprehension. A study of ten Italian transnational adoptive families shows that adoptive parents tend to combine these strategies according to the situational relevance of four mobility-related variables: parental agency, accuracy of information, self-reliance, and intimacy. The adoptive parents’ opinions about the benefits and limitations of each strategy indicate that mediation strategies are complementary means to reach the complex general purpose of acquiring parenthood.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2018-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1075/LPLP.00026.FIO","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41918657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mediation choice in immigrant groups","authors":"N. Ayvazyan, A. Pym","doi":"10.1075/LPLP.00027.AYV","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/LPLP.00027.AYV","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 An interview survey of 51 members of Russian-speaking groups in the Salou area of southern Catalonia indicates the use of several modes of mediation to solve language problems. Professional written translators tend to be employed for official documents and high-risk situations only, whereas professional interpreters tend not to be used; family members and friends are usually preferred. There is widespread learning of Spanish, which is seen as the “host” language and offers independence, but very limited engagement with Catalan, which nevertheless remains a strong language of identification for much of the host society. In this multilingual context, Spanish, Russian, and English can all function as lingua francas depending on the situation. Russian, however, is only taught by private associations, even though its presence in the public school system could conceivably help address the diffuse sense of social exclusion felt by these groups and would be to the long-term benefit of the area’s economy, which partly depends on Russian tourism.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2018-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1075/LPLP.00027.AYV","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48770327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Language choices and practices of migrants in Germany","authors":"Sabine Fiedler, A. Wohlfarth","doi":"10.1075/LPLP.00023.FIE","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/LPLP.00023.FIE","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The language uses of twenty migrants in Germany who have English in their language repertoires are investigated through semi-structured interviews and qualitative content analysis. The findings suggest that in occupation-related situations and daily life, these migrants resort to English in situations that are too difficult to handle in German. For most of them this is only temporary, before they have a sufficient command of German. Whether and how well migrants learn German depends on factors such as the planned length of stay, the demand for the language in their professional field, previous migration experiences, and personality. Most of the interviewees had taken language classes and were highly motivated to learn German, as English is not always a viable option for communication in Germany and because they considered proficiency in German a sign of respect. The use of German and English as a lingua franca were the two major mediation strategies, along with language technologies like Google Translate, while some interviewees reported successful use of intercomprehension.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2018-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1075/LPLP.00023.FIE","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41645943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“It’s so vital to learn Slovene”","authors":"N. Pokorn, Jaka Cibej","doi":"10.1075/LPLP.00024.POK","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/LPLP.00024.POK","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Short-time migrants, who stay in the host country from one to 12 months, use mediation strategies including lingua francas, public-service interpreting and translation, translation technologies, intercomprehension, and learning the host country’s dominant language. The choices made by asylum seekers in Slovenia, a country of transit for the majority of asylum seekers, are analyzed on the basis of questionnaires answered by 127 current and former residents of the Slovene asylum seeker centers in 2016, followed up by semi-structured interviews with a representative group of 34 asylum seekers. The results show that the majority of newly arrived migrants regard the use of lingua francas as a helpful but not desired long-term strategy. They define host-country language learning as the most desirable strategy for linguistic and social inclusion. Surprisingly, they are reluctant to use translation technologies and interpreters because they either doubt the accuracy of the transfer or they consider such mediation (interpreting in particular) a hindrance to their independence.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2018-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1075/LPLP.00024.POK","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43620877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"No language policy without translation policy","authors":"Reine Meylaerts, G. Núñez","doi":"10.1075/LPLP.00028.MEY","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/LPLP.00028.MEY","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 A major challenge for authorities in the modern world is the linguistic integration of minorities. In this context, language\u0000 policies play a key role as authorities are increasingly faced with the challenge of adjusting their language policies in order to\u0000 secure the linguistic rights and thus the integration of their multilingual populations. In multilingual democracies, these\u0000 language policies must include choices about the use or non-use of translation. These choices, when they are systematic, become\u0000 policies of their own in terms of translation. Thus, translation policies arise in part as a consequence of language policies, and\u0000 there can be no language policy without an attendant translation policy. This article sheds light on the role of translation\u0000 policies as part of language policy. Specifically, it shows that translation policies can be a tool for integration and\u0000 recognition or exclusion and neglect of speakers of minority languages and therefore deserve special attention. This is done by\u0000 comparing the translation policies adopted in Flanders and Wales, both as applied to autochthonous linguistic minorities and\u0000 allochthonous linguistic minorities. Lessons can be learned from the similarities and differences of translation policies in these\u0000 two regions.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2018-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1075/LPLP.00028.MEY","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46306827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Esperanto – a lingua franca in use","authors":"Sabine Fiedler, C. Brosch","doi":"10.1075/LPLP.00019.FIE","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/LPLP.00019.FIE","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 A lingua franca can be a mediation choice for people who do not share a common language. Esperanto, a planned language, functions in this way as the working language in an educational non-governmental organization. The main characteristics of this use are described on the basis of interviews, field notes and spontaneous conversations analyzed using the methods of Conversation Analysis. It is shown that Esperanto functions as the dominant means of communication in the NGO, but also that the use of other languages is not excluded. A typical feature of Esperanto communication is the use of repairs: Esperanto speakers assist one another when faced with lexical gaps and they correct each other’s mistakes. Humor is ubiquitous and is mainly language-based, taking forms including wordplay and culture-specific allusions. These two features are closely related to speakers’ attitudes such as group identity and metalinguistic awareness. It is suggested that Esperanto is a valid option as a lingua franca outside of the private sphere, where it has predominantly been used until now.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2018-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1075/LPLP.00019.FIE","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45554009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Language as a soft power resource","authors":"G. Pashayeva","doi":"10.1075/LPLP.00016.PAS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/LPLP.00016.PAS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The term soft power, developed by Joseph Nye, is a widely popular concept used to describe efforts to attract rather than coerce as means of persuasion. Language, which is widely viewed as a traditional (not to say extremely important) component of nationhood and a symbol of identity and group consciousness, can be used as an expression of soft power resources within this context. It is apparent that in today’s globalized world, the role of international languages as global means of communication has increased considerably. At the same time, English has become the de facto lingua franca in international trade, academia, technology and many other fields. Against this background, this article examines the impact of language as a soft power resource in the case of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is a multi-ethnic state located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Due to its geographic location, the constant migrations of people who have passed through its territory throughout the centuries, and it has long been a zone of active interaction of languages, cultures and civilizations.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2018-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1075/LPLP.00016.PAS","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47293204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Language rights in the United States island territory of Guam","authors":"E. Faingold","doi":"10.1075/LPLP.00015.FAI","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/LPLP.00015.FAI","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 This article examines the language legislation of the United States territory of Guam as stated in the Organic Act of Guam (1950) and its legal statutes. The article seeks to offer suggestions about how the quality of this language legislation might be improved. As in a few states in the United States (i.e., Hawaii, Louisiana, and New Mexico), Guam established linguistic laws with provisions that protect the language rights of Chamorro speakers, the native population of Guam, especially in the areas of education and language standardization. In spite of the impressive array of language laws enacted by Guam’s legislature to teach Chamorro language and culture in the schools for more than half a century, the use of English is increasing, while that of Chamorro continues to shrink in Guam, which may be due to a lack of buy-in by the indigenous Chamorro population with respect to the importance of expanding the use of this language for the purpose of maintaining a modern-day Chamorro identity.","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2018-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1075/LPLP.00015.FAI","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41343062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Yuanwen Lu. A corpus study of collocation in Chinese learner English","authors":"Haoda Feng","doi":"10.1075/LPLP.00020.FEN","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1075/LPLP.00020.FEN","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44345,"journal":{"name":"Language Problems & Language Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2018-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1075/LPLP.00020.FEN","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42123342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}