Language policies and practices across the Baltic: processes, challenges and prospects

Abstract

We examine actions taken in the three Baltic states to (re-)establish their national languages in de facto multilingual surroundings. The implementation processes and initial impact of language ideology and language regulation on the language practices and socio-political participation of Soviet-period immigrants and their descendants living in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are described. In presenting a comparative cross-Baltic overview of language practices we discuss the national differences in connection with citizenship and political participation, population distribution and labour market surroundings. Our empirical data are draw from sociological surveys, population statistics and labour market segregation analyses. We focus on the interaction between regulations, language practices and social structural surroundings asking: How has the national language establishment shaped labour market practices, citizenship and education expectations? And vice versa: What could be the effect of the social surroundings on the formation of the language practices? We conclude that despite their different structural provisions, Estonia and Lithuania face somewhat similar future challenges in terms of creating a culturally more integrated education system. The minority agents when confronted with existing policy requirements have fewer possibilities to produce their own (alternative) solutions since ethnicity or language-driven social marginalization is perceived more as a problem here. In Latvia, the minority representatives seem to have sufficient resources in the private sphere to "slow down" existing state level language requirements, which enables them to create suitable surroundings for the ongoing maintenance of the Latvian-Russian multilingual environment.Keywords: Baltic, language policies and practices, citizenship, minorities, participation.Resümee: Artiklis analüüsitakse Balti riikide keelepoliitikaid esimese kahekümne iseseisvusaasta jooksul. Pärast nõuogude okupatsiooni uuesti ülesehitatavate rahvusriikide missiooniks on eesti/läti/leedu keele ja kultuuri säilimine ja arendamine. Kõrvuti selle eesmärgiga on riikide ees teine raske ülesanne -lõimida ühiskonda nõukogude perioodil sisserännanud ja nende järeltulijad -arvukas vene emakeelega elanikkond. Artiklis antakse võrdlev ülevaade peamisest tegevustest riigikeele kehtestamisel ning analüüsitakse poliitilise, demograafilise ning majandusliku keskkonna soodustavat ning takistavat mõju venekeelse elanikkonna keelepraktikate muutumisele, poliitilisele osalusele ja tööturupraktikatele. Resumen: Analizamos las acciones llevadas a cabo en tres repúblicas bálticas para (re)establecer su lengua nacional en entornos multilingües de facto. Se describe el establecimiento e impacto inicial de la ideología lingüística y la regulación lingüística de las prácticas lingüísticas y la participación socio-política de los inmigrantes del periodo soviético y sus descendientes con residencia en Estonia, Latvia y Lituania. Al presentar una visión global comparada de las ...

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