- Title
- Language as a ‘resource’ in South Africa: the economic life of language in a globalising society
- Creator
- Wright, Laurence
- Date Issued
- 2002
- Date
- 2002
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- vital:7035
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007370
- Identifier
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10131750285310031
- Description
- preprint
- Description
- We need to develop a much more refined and specific understanding of what is meant when people refer to language is a ‘resource’. If something can accurately be described as a resource, then by its very nature it carries with it or attracts, at least in potential, the social motivation associated with the utilization, development or exploitation of that resource. This is strikingly true where language is the resource in question, because language is so intimately bound up with human activity. Where it exists, such social motivation can be augmented and supported so as to realize the ends of language policy. Contrastingly, where it is seen that social motivation informing a particular language situation is at odds with the intent of language policy, then either implementation must retreat and move to other arenas, other points of influence, where intervention can be more effective, or those charged with implementation must resign themselves to costly and messy efforts to force unwanted change through legal authority.
- Format
- 18 pages
- Format
- Language
- English
- Relation
- English Academy Review
- Relation
- Wright, L.S. (2002) Language as a ‘resource’ in South Africa: the economic life of language in a globalising society. English Academy Review, 19 (1). pp. 2-19
- Relation
- English Academy Review volume 19 number 1 2 19 2002 type="issn">1753-5360
- Rights
- Wright, Laurence
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the English Academy Review Self-archiving Policy
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