MikÂlós KontÂra: TeaÂching Language, (Higher)Education, LanÂguÂaÂge PoliÂcy
LanÂguÂaÂge planÂning is a kind of planÂning that aims to influÂenÂce lanÂguÂaÂge or lanÂguÂaÂge usage. It repÂreÂsents such conÂsciÂous efforts of which goal is to influÂenÂce the behaÂviÂour of peopÂle with learÂning a lanÂguÂaÂge (languages), in conÂnecÂtiÂon with its strucÂtuÂral and usage functions. LanÂguÂaÂge planÂning geneÂralÂly hapÂpens for the sake of social, political, or ecoÂnoÂmic goals. LanÂguÂaÂge planÂning is the reaÂliÂsaÂtiÂon of lanÂguÂaÂge policy.
LanÂguÂaÂge rights and their vioÂlaÂtiÂon exist for a long time, but their sciÂenÂtiÂfic exaÂmiÂnaÂtiÂon is beÂing proÂviÂded only for a few decades. During the big social arguments, disÂcusÂsiÂons the lanÂguÂaÂge rights many times fall behind, for examÂple enviÂronÂment proÂtecÂtiÂon or gloÂbaÂliÂsaÂtiÂon issuÂes are incomÂpaÂrabÂly moÂre disÂcusÂsed than disÂcusÂsiÂons in conÂnecÂtiÂons with lanÂguÂaÂge variety.
The bilinÂguÂal issue has moÂre definitions. The defÂiÂniÂtions of non-linguists difÂfer from the defÂiÂniÂtions of linguists. The non-linguists often call only those peopÂle bi-lingual who speak two lanÂguÂaÂges well the same way (alÂmost perfectly). The linÂguÂists know that such peopÂle are very rare. LinÂguÂists define bilinÂguÂaÂliÂty moÂre widely: bilinÂguÂal is such perÂson who speÂaks two lanÂguÂaÂge on whaÂteÂver level. Therefore, even that perÂson is bilingual, who writes, reads, and speÂaks HunÂgaÂriÂan on motÂher lanÂguÂaÂge level, but he/she can underÂstand a (written or spoken) writing/speaking in RomaÂniÂan lanÂguÂaÂge with big difficulties.
The remaÂiÂning of a minoÂriÂty lanÂguÂaÂge has three preconditions. The first is that the speÂaÂkers have to know the language, the secÂond is that they should have the opporÂtuÂniÂty to use their language, and the third is that the minoÂriÂty wants to use its language.
The UNESCO supÂports teaÂching in motÂher lanÂguÂaÂge (for example: EduÂcaÂtiÂon in a mulÂtiÂlinÂguÂal world), and also minoÂriÂty lanÂguÂaÂge higÂher eduÂcaÂtiÂon /The EuroÂpeÂan ChapÂter of RegiÂoÂnal or MinoÂriÂty LanÂguÂaÂges (8. article, e. point) and The Hague RecomÂmenÂdaÂtiÂons (17. and 18. points)/. The lack of HunÂgaÂriÂan natiÂoÂnal straÂteÂgy and lanÂguÂaÂge straÂteÂgy natÂuÂralÂly led to misÂtaÂkes – that could had been evaÂded – in conÂnecÂtiÂon with higÂher eduÂcaÂtiÂon instiÂtuÂtiÂons with HunÂgaÂriÂan teaÂching language.
Although not eveÂryÂboÂdy will agree with me that minoÂriÂty HunÂgaÂriÂan uniÂverÂsiÂties and higÂher eduÂcaÂtiÂon bilinÂguÂal instiÂtuÂtiÂons should exist, such instiÂtuÂtiÂons where teaÂching is proÂviÂded not only in HunÂgaÂriÂan language, but in both teaÂching languages. The two goals, that is teaÂching in the motÂher lanÂguÂaÂge and bilinÂguÂal teaÂching does not excluÂde on another, if we conÂsiÂder the addiÂtiÂon and not the exchanÂge model.