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The Myth and Reality of Official Bilingualism in Canada
By Emmanuel Aito.
Published by The International Journal of the Humanities
| Format | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Article: Print | $US10.00 | |
| Article: Electronic | $US5.00 |
This paper purposefully exceeds the restrictive description of language as a mere instrument of communication. Language is the pre-eminent implement in the construction of various realities, to wit economic, social or political. Consequently, in a polity such as Canada, in which English and French have, by force of law and practice, the status of official languages, language ineluctably mediates the forging of identities, allegiances, a sense of history, the future and place in the often complex political processes that underpin democratic values and practices. Language is therefore essential to nation building. The interactions and ethos that arise from participating in the attendant political and cultural processes, coupled with the exercise of rights and the perceived effects or curtailments on defined lifespaces (in reference to the mental, physical and cultural constructs of territoriality) often provoke tensions and confusion. As well, opposing positions, taken through the prisms of languages spoken, have considerable impact on issues of national and local importance. Thus, although language is in the first instance a privileged instrument of communication, its deeper roles consist of fostering excellent inter-group relations, or causing divisions.
| Keywords: | Official Bilingualism, Language, Identities and Allegiances |
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International Journal of the Humanities, Volume 6, Issue 7, pp.23-30. Article: Print (Spiral Bound). Article: Electronic (PDF File; 568.951KB).
Dr. Emmanuel Aito
Chair, Department of French Studies, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada