JoLIE 11:2/2018

LANGUAGE POLICY AND LANGUAGE REFORMS IN STATE AND NATION BUILDING

Azamat Akbarov

Busan University of Foreign Studies, Busan, South Korea

Abstract

In many ways, language acts as a tool of politics – from political ideology and rhetoric to consolidation and formation of the people on its basis as a subject of political process. Therefore, as such a tool language cannot be left outside politics, often acting as one of the objects of its influence. Language policy requires a multi-faceted consideration with involvement of analytical resources of various social disciplines: legal, political, economic, demographic, historical and cultural. This allows us to better understand the task of the historical choice that different countries had to face at different times. Today, the number of population of the world, in particular of Central Asia is growing, as well as the area of sue of Central Asian languages, which is comforting. However, the language policy of the Central Asian countries and ongoing reforms in this field causes mixed reactions among population of the region. As in many post-Soviet countries, the process of state and nation building is in full drive in these countries. In twenty-eight years of independence, state institutions were established, which are fairly successfully functioning, the territory and all borders have been delineated, their own laws are in force in these territories, they have domestic and foreign policy, etc., - all these are the results of state building.

Language, for better or worse, is a vital element of culture, and it is only within a cultural and social context that it comes fully alive (Akbarov, & Milak 2017). Authors of modern literature combine these two processes into one by defining nation-state although, in our opinion, the process of nation building is much broader and sophisticated. Formation of one united nation, uniting splintered regions, ethnos, sun-ethnic groups (clans, tribes) is not an easy task. In addition, there are such strong factors of formation of national identity like language and religion.

Key words: Language policy; Reform; Nation; Strategy; Society.

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How to cite this article: Akbarov, A. (2018). Language policy and language reforms in state and nation building. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 11(2), 7-24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2018.11.2.1

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