Language Planning: Definition

Language planning is a deliberate effort to influence the function, structure or acquisition of languages or language varieties within a speech community.

In other words, it refers to measures taken by official agencies to influence the use of one or more languages in a particular speech community. For instance, the Frafra language can be chosen and deliberate efforts put in place to make it widely used and recognised in Ghana, Africa or Europe.

These measures could be initiated by the government (macro-level), the community (micro-level) in which the language is spoken or by individuals who have love for the language, and will want to see the language flourish. Einar Haugen is considered the engineer of the term, “language planning” in 1959 (Hagège, 1983:21; Haugen,1986).

Starting with Haugen, he defines language planning as , “l’élaboration d’une orthographe normative, d’une grammaire et d’un dictionnaire pour guider l’usage écrit et oral dans une communauté linguistique non homogène”. (trad. de Haugen, 1968 [1959]:673).

Haugen not only highlights on deliberate efforts to draft a standard orthography and grammar but the need for a dictionary to help guide the usage of the language. The question is: “What impact do dictionaries have on language propagation, taking into consideration the number of dictionaries produced on different languages in the market?”

The argument will be, a new user will need a dictionary to translate, explain and help spell words in the targeted language to facilitate understanding.

Digital tools such as dictionaries and translation tools are major key players in language planning efforts. Haugen also talked of having an orthography and grammar for the language.

Indeed, with the varieties of languages we can have for one language due to urbanisation, multilingualism, geographical limitations, there is the need to come up with an acceptable variety that can be used by all.

Before i even talk about our Africa languages, let us take a look at the English language. Ghanaians have their own accent and way of speaking English, Nigerians have their own accent and pronunciation style, Ugandans and Francophone speakers have their own way of speaking English too. The originators of English have different varieties. English spoken in Great Britain, Ireland, America, Scotland, etc are quite different from each other. This is where Haugen’s proposal matters, an orthography and a grammar for all to strictly abide by or use will minimize these differences to help find a common ground. In this way, there will be one way of speaking the language to help influence other non-speakers to learn the language and make it popular.

Let us also take a look at Joshua Fishman’s definition of language planning. He defines language planning as “the authoritative allocation of resources to the attainment of language status and corpus goals, whether in connection with new functions that are aspired to or in connection with old functions that need to be discharged more adequately” (1987).

Fishman’s perspective is on the allocation of resources. Allocating resources is a deliberate effort, which needs to be put in place for any language to be able to thrive. For instance, look at the initiatives France is putting in place for French to continue to maintain its status. La Francophonie, the OIF’s given huge sum of monies just to teach French in anglophone settings, the negotiations with governments for French to be taught in primary schools and even recognized as a second language. ( Referencing the meeting President Macron had with President Akuffo Addo, where our Ghanaian president reiterated, “Ghana without aid”). These initiatives matter because if it didn’t, France will not waste their time on it.

Resources consisting of money, personnel, know-how, strategies or a contingency plan need to be put in place for a language to be able to gain status. Does Ghana have the resources to be able to do this? If we have begged for decades to support the economy and the center cannot still hold, will we dare push money into vamping a language? The French, the English, the Chinese, etc. have seen the role and the importance of language in restoring weak economies to vibrant ones. No wonder these countries have put in measures to promulgate their languages while African countries have folded their hands waiting for manna to be dropped from heaven or a miracle to occur for their economies to be turned around. We are our own enemies that is why we continue to dream thinking and hoping the African continent will become great one day. Well it can’t, if we don’t rise to take initiatives to make it better. It can’t, if we don’t follow the footsteps of the great so that we too can become great.

Taking a last look at Fishman’s definition of language planning, he talks of new functions or old functions. It is important to aspire to be better by modifying what is, to become. Resources can be allocated to help expand existing modalities of the language or new structures put in place to ensure it attains the status desired. For instance, existing orthography and grammar or dictionaries can be assessed and maintained or modified to make it more standardized. However, if there is the need for a total review of existing modalities on the language, new ideas could be drafted and implemented to give the language the status desired.

If language planning was not important, most developed countries will not be taking initiatives for their languages to be learnt. Think about this, Why are questions on language not addressed during political rallies? Do you yourself think it is not relevant? Where will Ghana be if we had a national language spoken in all parts of the world, just like English or French?

Next series will be on Types of language planning