Linguistic Human Rights “Linguicism”

Debi Novianingrum

1110026000018

BSI / 5B

UAS General Linguistic 2

State Islamic University Jakarta

A.      Introduction

Linguistic human rights are the right to use indigenous language of the minorities without any discrimination.  Linguistic human right provisionally regards in relation to the mother tongue(s) as consisting of the right to identify with it/ them, and to educated and public services through the medium of it/them. Mother tongue is defined as the language(s) one has learned first and identifies with (Kangas & Philipson,1995). Base on other source Linguistic Human Right as a category of human right i.e. universal right belong to all persons, linguistic rights are base on the idea of human dignity and worth as well as cultural tolerance. Examples of linguistic human right are the rights of a minority language community to receive education in their language and of people to receive governmental services in language other than socially dominant language. Although various proposal have been put forth to define such linguistic rights, there is so far to general agreement on them comparable to the principle of human rights codified by the United Nation (Richard, Schmidt,2002). In relation to other language linguistic human rights consisting of the right to learn an official language in the country of residence in its standard form (Kangas ,Philipson, 1995).

Human rights have a pedigree going back several centuries, to the transition from absolutism to more democratic social structures in Western societies. The treaties signed at the conclusion of the 1914-1918 war attempted to ensure international recognition of the rights of many minorities in central and Eastern Europe. The primary goal of all declarations of human rights, whether national or international is to protect the individual against arbitrary or unjust treatment. Human rights declaration have progressed through various phases: the first generation related to personal freedoms, civil and political right; the second generation related to economic, social, and cultural rights; and the third generations covers ‘ solidarity’ rights (peace, development, an unspoilt environment),  (Philipson, 1992). And the first covenant mentioned linguistic right is in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (article 27, 1966) which declares: in those States in which ethnic, religious, or linguistic minorities exist, person belonging to such minorities shall be denied the right, in community with other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture to profess and practice their own religion, or to use their own language. Most of people using minority language are discriminated by people who using dominant language. Some groups are not allowed to identify with their mother tongue (Kangas & Philipson, 1995). this declaration very important to protect the minorities using their own language. Linguicism has taken over from racism as more subtle way of hierarchization social group in the contemporary world (Philipson, 1992). as a minority groups migrant/ immigrant always find the problem of discrimination whether race, skin color, language or culture. Although there is an agreement about language rights but minority groups still get the discrimination. Minority groups do not have influence to a country and become invisible. This paper will explain about what linguicism is and forms of linguicism.

B.      Content

Linguicism defined as ideologies, structures and practice which are used to legitimate, effectuate and reproduce an unequal division of power and resources (both material and non material ) between groups which are defined on the basis race, ethnicity, or language (Kangas & Philipson, 1995). In other sources linguicism by analogy with “racism” and “sexism” a term proposed by philipson to describe practice, beliefs, policies, etc, that are designed to promote and maintain unequal division of power, prestige, resources, etc between groups on the basis of language (Richard, Schmidt, 2002). Linguiscm also related to linguistic imperialism described as the theory that languages may be seen as occupying a dominant or dominated role in society. It is argued that English plays a dominant role internationally and plays a role in maintaining the economic and political dominance of some societies over others, because of the role of English as the dominant international language. Many other languages have been prevented from going through processes of development and expansion. The spread of English is viewed as imposing aspect of Aglo-Saxon Judaeo- Christian culture and causing a threat to the cultures and languages of non English speaking countries (Richard,Schmidt, 2002).

Linguicism is dissimilar from other ‘ism’ such as sexism and racism, in so far as it is language rather than gender or race which is the crucial criterion in the beliefs and structure which result in unequal power and resource allocation (Philipson, 1992).  Language discrimination occurs when a person treated differently by native speakers, because of characteristic of that person speech. In employee situation for example, an employee may be being subjected in work place if the work place has a “speak English only” policy but the employee use another language than English. The employee may be a victim of language discrimination because he or she treated differently by the other employee who use English as their mother tongue. Outside the employment context, language discrimination occurs if a person denied to have access of business or government services because he or she do not speak English. Language is a form cultural capital and it also can be used for cooperation with groups which have power in economic, social, and cultural. This implies that individual or groups speaking global language have an advantages over their counterparts whose mother tongue are in low social scale which is hardly to debate in economic context. Many benefits to those speaking in major language like English. Globalization is also important in language discrimination (linguicism) in a country. Because of globalization lead to restriction the movement of minority groups. They can not use their own language to develop abilities in economy, social, and cultural.

Globalization is like colonialism. The International Monetary Fund has more or less become the rich countries instrument for the economic and ideological control of the poor country (Philipson, 1992). For example in Indonesia, most of the companies in Indonesia require their employee to use English both passive and active. If they can not use and understand English, they get a few opportunities to compete in the works or business. It is possible if globalization has grown up hundred percent in Indonesia, Indonesian culture will be forgotten and the Indonesian people who have limited language being worse because of limiting jobs.

In other hand linguiscm occurs in education. Linguistic imperialism on the part of the speakers of any language exemplifies linguicism. Linguicism may be in operation simultaneously with sexism, racism, or classism, but linguicism refers exclusively to ideologies and structures where language is the means for effecting or maintaining a unequal allocation of power and resources. This could apply, for instance, in a school in which the mother tongue of some children, from an immigrant or indigenous minority background, are ignored, and this as consequences for their learning (Philipson, 1992). Ethno linguistic minority children, indigenous and immigrants, often attend pre-school and schools where no teachers understand their language and where it is not used, either as a subject or as a medium of education (Kangas & Philipson, 1995). The school is always forced to use culture or dominant language even though there are student who do not use culture or dominant language. For example, in United States accent of non native English or linguistic minority always related to discrimination. A lot of immigrant whose live in Unites State and send their children in school which use dominant language. As the minority groups the children still use their accent for daily conversation. Accent is also very linked of linguicism of daily life conversation of non native English speakers  in United State. Accent discrimination refers to any case where acoustic speech pattern (i.e. pronunciation) are implicated in a claim of discrimination (Mounro, 2003). Some linguistic studies have been conducted in other countries such as Canada (Mounro, 2003) and the United Kingdom with an effort to describe how accent, particularly foreign accent makes negative impression on native speakers (Bisop, Coupland, Garret, 2005). In some cases, non native speakers perceive oppressed because of the use of accent. It connected with race, nationality, and physical appearance. In other hand some non native speakers took advantage of this oppression as a positive identity marker. Regardless of whether  accent was associated with positive or negative features, the frustration, anger, and inferiority that respondent felt due to accent of discrimination in interpersonal communication with native speaker were evident, demonstrating that oppression should be limited. Language ideologies are one factor divide an individuals into groups exclude certain group from power position and make individual misrecognize the existing of social hierarchies. Accent could be one of the important factors that determine one’s language standardness. A person accent is influenced by his /her group characteristic.

A person accent reflects his/her social group membership and status, Such as accent of black people, India, Singapore, England, or Asian. Language discrimination often found in school because each student from different social, culture and language or accent, especially in country where many migrant live. Because language minority can not use in school, with forced children from minorities group should follow the language that used in school. Minority languages are allowed to use in private but not in school. As describe on European Charter for regional and minority languages article 27 that the right to use a regional or minority language in private and public life is an inalienable right (Kangas & Philipson, 1995). This is a form of real linguicism and the children who the victims. In United States, black people language and accent always get a stigma.

 From the speaking way, black people get a stereotyping as a lazy people. Because of the way they speak are abbreviated and do not use English grammar properly. As mentioned above, the way a person speak and person accent can reflect the social status and characteristic of group. If linguicism occurs in school, the most likely student from minorities becomes uneducated. Because, the teacher does not understand what the student say and ignored them. Such as in one elementary school in America, there are African-American students used African-American language and being discriminated. When they talked something to their teacher, the teacher did not understand what they talked, the teacher ignored them, and treat them differently. Many declarations to protect the minority especially in education, such as The Charter of United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Right, The UN Convention on The Right of Children, The Council of Europe Convention For The Protection of Human Right and Fundamental Freedoms, The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right, American Declaration of The Right and Duties of Man, and The last is American Convention on Human Rights. Minority groups not only a groups that do not have influence in a country, but also groups that have characteristic like deaf community. Deaf community has a characteristic in their language. They use sign language to send information to other people. The deaf do not see themselves as disabled, but rather as a distinct minority group. Like other members of linguistic minorities, members of deaf signing communities often experience systemic linguicism in education. In spite of the evidence for the importance for early exposure to a signed language, many deaf children are denied access until later in life. This current reality falls under the notion of linguicism. In sum, then, audism may be seen both as a subset of ableism and linguicism, forming its own unique set of situation, experience and discrimination (Bauman, Simser, Hannan, 2010). Audism is a form of discrimination base on lack of accommodation of physical difference (Bauman, Simser, Hannan, 2010). Ableism   described as prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behavior towards person with a disability.  Definition ableism hinge on one understanding of normal ability and the rights and benefit afforded to persons deemed normal. Some persons believe it is ableism that prevent disable people from participating in the social fabric of their communities, rather than impairment in physical, mental or emotional ability. Ableism includes attitudes and behavior emanating from individuals communities and institutions as well as from physical and social environment (Levi, 2006). The use of sign language is very difficult to be accepted by normal society. Therefore, the deaf often get discrimination due to differences in using communication method. Generally, hearing people refused to communicate with the deaf, because of the difficulties of using the language. In an effort to eliminate discriminatory practices again person with disabilities international, national and provincial act declaration and policies have been put in place. The basic promise of these documents is to ensure that the human worth of person with disabilities is not diminished in many ways. In what follows, this paper present relevant aspect of this important document , from international to national provincial level. These various document may be used to support action to mitigate the devastating affect of ableism, audism, and linguicism. The document such as UN Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities, UN Convention on the Right of the Children, Declaration on the Right of Person Belonging to National or Ethnic Religious and Linguistic Minorities, and  Policy Statement on Education Right for Deaf Children.

C.      Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to note that we define racism, ethnicism, and linguicism as both ideological and structural. Racism is not just a question of people being ill-willed, ignorant or misinformed. Ethnicism is not only people’s attitude or prejudice towards other individual or groups. Linguicism is not only an information problem (that all languages are of unequal worth, and if this is understood and respected, problems of discrimination will disappear or at least diminish (Kangas &  Philipson,1995).

Ethnicism and linguicism socially judged the resources of powerless groups so they become invisible group and seen as handicaps. The source of minority group becomes meaningless both in language and culture to take position power in social, economy, cultural, or government. In other hand dominant language can take a power in a social, economy, cultural, or government because their resources are recognized.

Linguicism is a major factor in determining whether speakers of particular languages are allowed to enjoy their linguistic human rights. Lack of this rights for instance their absence from school time-tables, makes minority languages invisible. Alternatively, minority languages are seen as handicaps, which prevent minority children from acquiring the valued resources (the majority language), so minority children should get rid of them in their own interest. At the same time, many minorities, especially children, are in fact prevented from fully acquiring majority resources, especially majority languages, by disabling educational structures, when their instruction is organized through the medium of the majority languages in ways which contradict most scientific evidence (Kanga & Philipson, 1995). Minorities groups should not be underestimated, because the minority is entitled to get the rights. Everybody has the right and chance to survive in this world. No exception minority groups, their existence should recognize to balance the world. If all the world people respect each other likely, the world will be less of the social problem such as linguicism. The differences occurs quite naturally n this world. Because the world’s population is from different culture, therefore it takes a different understanding in order to undertake the life.

D.                  References

Kangas, TS, & Philipson R 1995, Linguistic Human Rights : Overcoming Linguistic Discrimination,       Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin;New York.

Richard, JC, & Schimdt, R 2002, Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching &Applied Linguistic, Pearson Education Limited, Malaysia.

Philipson, Robert, 1992, Linguistic Imperialism, Cambridge University, Cambridge.

Mounro, M.J. 2003, ‘A Premiere on Accent Discrimination in the Canadian Context’, TESL Canada Journal: Revue TESL du Canada, 20(2), 38-51.

Bishop, H, Coupland, N, & Garret, P (2005), ‘Conceptual Accent Evaluation: Thirty years of Accent Prejudice in the UK’, Acta Linguistica Hafniensia, 37, 131-154.

Bauman, L, Simpser, S, & Hannan, G (2010), ‘Beyond Ableism and Audism: Achieving Human Rights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Citizen’, The Canadian Hearing Society Barrier-Free Education Initiative, 12-19.

Levi, S 2006, “Ableism” Encyclopedia of Diasability, Ed. Gary L. Albrecht, Thousand Oak, CA: Sage Publication.