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Language use and linguistic nationalism in the Faroe Islands

2010; Routledge; Volume: 7; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/14790710903518404

1747-7530

Karin Jóhanna L. Knudsen,

Linguistic and Sociocultural Studies

Abstract Abstract Using data from the work of a Language Commission set by the Faroese Government in 2005 to formulate a proposal for an official Faroese language policy and findings from my own study on language use among young Faroe Islanders, this paper questions whether the present language policy in the Faroes is an effective strategy to maintain and protect a demographically small language – like Faroese – as a viable language. The findings of this study indicate a conflict between a purist movement that wants to police the Faroese language and actual language use. The findings also suggest that even if one lives in a linguistically fairly homogenous situation, in remote areas, multilingualism is a necessity. Keywords: purismmultilingualismtrilingualismbilingualismlanguage uselinguistic nationalism Notes 1. The Faroes' constitutional and colonial/non-colonial status (also historically) is a matter of frequent debate (see, e.g. Sølvará, 2003 Sølvará, H.A. 2003. Færøernes statsretlige stilling i historisk belysning – mellem selvstyre og selvbestemmelse [The Faroes' constitutional position from a historical point of view – between self-government and self-determination]. Føroyskt Lógarrit [Faroese Law Review], 3(3): 145–181. [Google Scholar]). 2. According to the Faroese Statistical Office, Hagstova Føroya, www.hagstova.fo, the total population of the Faroes in July 2008 was 48,678. The exact number of Faroe Islanders living in Denmark is unknown. An estimate is around 10,000. 3. In much of the literature about this period, the term 'revitalisation' is used. I would argue, however, that the more appropriate term would be 'normalisation' in the same sense as the Basques and the Catalans are using the term, i.e. returning to a normal situation since Faroese is the first language of a majority of the population (see also Costa, 2003 Costa, J. 2003. Catalan linguistic policy: Liberal or illiberal?. Nations and Nationalism, 9(3): 413–432. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar], pp. 413–432). Faroese speakers experience many of the same constraints as those of minority communities – the asymmetry of power in socio-political terms between Danish and Faroese (see, e.g. Skutnabb-Kangas & McCarty, 2008 Skutnabb-Kangas, T. and McCarty, T.L. 2008. "Key concepts in bilingual education: Ideological, historical, epistemological, and empirical foundations". In Encyclopaedia of language and education (2nd ed.,Vol. 5): Bilingual education, Edited by: Cummins, J. and Hornberger, N.H. 3–17. New York: Springer. [Google Scholar], p. 10). 4. The term 'globalisation' is understood in various ways – also within various disciplines. I will not go into this discussion here (see, e.g. Phillipson, 2009 Phillipson , R. 2009 . Is there any unity in diversity in language policies national and supranational? English as an EU lingua franca or lingua frankensteinia? G. Stickel National and European language policies . Contributions to the annual conference 2008 of EFNIL in Riga 145 154 ). Bern : Peter Lang Verlag Retrieved February 8, 2009, from www.cbs.dk/forskning_viden/institutter_centre/institutter/isv/menu/medarbejdere/menu/videnskabelige/videnskabelige/professorer/phillipson [Google Scholar]). Nevertheless, it often seems that it is economic globalisation which is the focus in many of the discussions. However, 'globalisation' also covers processes other than the spread of markets and commodities. 5. Apart from the study on students in upper secondary education having difficulties mastering normative Faroese grammar and spelling[0], a recent study on literacy has shown that Faroese children acquire literacy at a slower pace than Danish children (Næs & Matras, 2007 Næs K Matras K 2007 . Langtíðarkanning av menningini av lesi- og skriviførleika hjá føroyskum børnum [A longitudinal study on the development of Faroese children's reading and writing skills] . Retrieved March 3, 2008, from the Faroese Teachers' College website: http://www.flsk.fo/Grein_um_lesikanning_2007_K&K.pdf [Google Scholar], www.flsk.fo). 6. The formalisation and institutionalisation of a nationalist movement (also called the language movement) can be dated back to what is referred to as 'The Christmas Meeting' in 1888 – a public meeting held in the Faroese parliament building. The meeting, which has come to symbolise a national rebirth or colonial uprising, concluded with a resolution that demanded greater rights for Faroese speakers. 7. The Public School Act of 20 June 1997, Løgtingslóg No. 125 (amended in 2007), Føroya Løgting [The Faroese Parliament 2004–2008], www.logir.fo 8. All quotations in which the original is in Faroese have been translated by the author. 9. This is also an aspect emphasised by Holm (2003 Holm, E. 2003. "Linguistic revitalisation in the Faroes: From vernacular towards national status". In Transcending monolingualism: Linguistic revitalisation in education, Edited by: Huss, L., Grima, A.C. and King, K.A. 259–276. Amsterdam: Swets & Zeitlinger. [Google Scholar], p. 267) and Sandøy (1992, p. 67). 10. Abrahamian's analysis of this phenomenon is based on data from the Armenian Republic. 11. Shwartz, Leikin, and Share (2005 Shwartz, M., Leikin, M. and Share, D.L. 2005. Bi-literate bilingualism versus mono-literate bilingualism: A longitudinal study of reading acquisition in Hebrew (L2) among Russian (L1) children. Written Language & Literacy, 8: 179–206. [Google Scholar], p. 183) express the view that it is becoming widely recognised that English poses unusual difficulties for young children to acquire literacy and that these difficulties appear to be rooted in the complexity of the orthography rather than in test incommensurability, sociocultural factors or educational practices. 12. According to Minutes of the Faroese Language Commission. 13. See Dahl et al. (2007 Dahl , Á ., Ellefsen , A ., Jónsdóttir , S ., Næs , K ., Weyhe , E ., Jensen , H ., et al. 2007 . Málmørk [Report of the Faroese Language Commission]. Tórshavn : Mentamálaráðið [The Ministry of Culture and Education] . [Google Scholar], pp. 35, 44, 49, 72 and 81). 14. See, e.g. Boolsen (2004 Boolsen , M.W. 2004 . Fra spørgeskema til statistisk analyse – genveje til pålidelige og gyldige analyser på et samfundsvidenskabeligt grundlag [From questionnaire to statistical analysis – shortcuts to reliable and valid analyses on a social science foundation] . København : C.A. Reitzel . [Google Scholar], p. 71) on response rates. 15. The definitions are adapted from Skutnabb-Kangas and McCarty (2008 Skutnabb-Kangas, T. and McCarty, T.L. 2008. "Key concepts in bilingual education: Ideological, historical, epistemological, and empirical foundations". In Encyclopaedia of language and education (2nd ed.,Vol. 5): Bilingual education, Edited by: Cummins, J. and Hornberger, N.H. 3–17. New York: Springer. [Google Scholar], pp. 3–8). 16. The students were also asked which languages(s) they spoke/used at home. A vast majority (89%) stated Faroese. By correlating the data from this question with the element on mother tongue(s), we find that a majority of those stating Danish as their mother tongue speak Faroese at home. Six per cent of the total number of respondents indicate both Danish and Faroese as their mother tongues[0]. 17. According to the Faroese Statistical Office, Hagstova Føroya, www.hagstova.fo 18. The figures are from 2003. No recent data are available. Kringvarp Føroya [Faroese National Radio and TV Broadcasting], www.kringvarp.fo 19. The Faroese Statistical Office, Hagstova Føroya, www.hagstova.fo 20. Since English was introduced in Grade 4 in 2007, textbooks for English in Grades 4 and 5 have been published. 21. A majority (61%) of Faroese students study abroad and one half (51%) of these in Denmark (Stuðulsstovnurin [The Faroese Student Grant Fund], www.studulsstovnurin.fo). 22. This is also suggested in a proposal for a new Faroese Constitution.