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The article offers an overview of Slovene in the region Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Friulian: FriûlVignesie Julie, Slovene: Furlanija – Julijska krajina, German: Friaul-Julisch Venetien) in the north-easternmost part of Italy, where Slovene is present in its historical linguistic setting alongside the Italian-Slovene national border. In fact, the presence of the Slavic linguistic element which eventually developed into Slovene in that territory dates back to the period of the settlement of Slavic populations in that area in the second half of the 6th century AD. From the viewpoint of linguistic genealogy, Slovene dialects in Friuli-Venezia Giulia unambiguously form part of the Slovene dialect continuum. From a sociolinguistic point of view, Slovene was officially recognised as a minority language by the Italian Republic by the language protection act for the historical linguistic minorities in Italy in 1999. However, the actual level of legal protection and the “health” of Slovene in the Italian minority context differs from region to region. The actual state of affairs depends predominantly on the availability of public education in Slovene and, consequently, its official use in formal contexts. In the Provinces of Trieste/Trst and Gorizia/Gorica, where Slovene is used as the teaching language in Slovene monolingual education up to the university level (i.e. 13 years of education from 1946), intergenerational transmission of Slovene as the mother tongue can be observed, with a balanced use of different linguistic varieties: the use of dialect or other substandard varieties in informal contexts and Standard Slovene (alongside Italian) in formal contexts. On the contrary, in the Province of Udine/Videm, the situation is significantly more complex. In those regions where at least elementary Italian-Slovene bilingual education also exists in Standard Slovene, it is the local Slovene dialects as well as Standard Slovene that are used in public. This is the case of the Natisone/Nadiža Valleys, where starting in 1984 a five-year bilingual schooling system was implemented, extended to eight years in 2008. In stark contrast to that, the Torre/Ter Valleys and the Resia/Rezija Valley, where Standard Slovene is absent from the educational system, witness very limited public representation of local Slovene dialects and/or Standard Slovene, which is more or less characterised by occasional use. The last part of the contribution provides a case study illustrating in more detail the role of Slovene in the Val Canale (Slovene: Kanalska dolina, German: Kanaltal, Friulian: Val Cjanâl). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to describe the complex linguistic and sociolinguistic situation of Alto Adige – Südtirol, officially named Autonomous Province of Bolzano – Bozen with a focus on the varieties of German spoken there as first language. The territory, which is officially trilingual as it hosts the Ladin minority in Val Gardena and Val Badia besides the Italian speakers, became part of Italy in 1919 as “spoils of war” after Austrian defeat in the First World War. The division of the ancient historical region of Tyrol meant a subsequent difficult period of forced Italianization, imposing Italian on German in names, toponyms and daily life. Only the determination of the local population and their affection to their language and culture has preserved – even if not always with peaceful means – the survival of the Austrian dialects and traditions and has led to the modern forms of safeguarding and cohabitation which make of this province of Northern Italy one of the strongest linguistic minorities in all Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a sociocultural approach with Indigenous epistemology, we examine language policies related to Lau. We researched how Lau impacted Native language policies through the Sinajini v. Board of Education of San Juan School District. Native education rights are embedded in treaty rights. As such, Native students have unique statuses with political and racialized identities, both of which Lau references. Native students are also unique as heritage language learners, English language learners, and members of Tribal Nations. Although the Lau case was not intended for Native students, it has possibilities to strengthen the argument for Native heritage languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes how the experiences and observations of Indigenous people from Latin America who work as legal interpreters reveal the ways that the position of court interpreter is racialized. The meaning of the norms of the “invisibility” and “neutrality” of the interpreter and the role of the interpreter as erasing barriers become points of contestation in the context of interpreting Indigenous languages of Latin America, revealing the ways that dominant norms and practices governing interpreting privilege a white speaker. Organizations of Indigenous interpreters articulate these experiences as a language rights issue of a transnational movement and point to the way that institutional claims to neutrality are symptomatic of a larger historical pattern of racism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper explores the critical role of sign language in enabling communication and social inclusion for the deaf community in China, where approximately 27.8 million individuals experience hearing impairments. Despite the recognition of linguistic human rights, Chinese law lacks formal acknowledgment of sign language, leading to fragmented regulations and insufficient support. The study highlights deficiencies in existing legislation and proposes recommendations for enhancing legal frameworks to protect and promote the rights of deaf individuals. Additionally, the paper examines the disparities between local and national sign languages and underscores the potential of technological advancements, such as sign language translation gloves, in bridging communication gaps and fostering social integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The refugee is typically understood as a uniquely modern figure, but US refugee debates and legislation are as old as the country. This essay considers how eighteenth-century debates about refugees can defamiliarize and enrich narratives about the US rights tradition that Hannah Arendt and others have developed based on post–World War accounts of refugees. Drawing on the first US refugee act in 1798, the essay moves beyond the iconic universalisms of natural rights and the abstract model of citizenship associated with it by identifying a grievance-based tradition of settler rights characterized by individualized narratives of patriotic service and political injury. The first section of the essay distinguishes the contemporary, post–World War association of "refugee" with statelessness from an earlier, protection-based understanding of the term that is rooted in its etymological connection with the safety of refuge. The second section uses Thomas Paine's self-characterizations as a "refugee" to reframe his better-known contributions to rights philosophy. The third section concludes by reading the twenty-seven grievances in the Declaration of Independence as the most canonical example of what the essay calls the "aggrieved personality of rights": the personal allegiances, circumstances, and injuries that inspire individuals to seek redress in the language of rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the constitutional promises and practices of self-rule in Ethiopia federal system focusing on the Konso ethnic group's quest for self-rule. Given that the federal project in Ethiopia is a new model (synthesis) that has replaced the failed 'Nation-State' building effort since 1991, self-rule has become the ideological heart of the incumbent party and a pillar of the constitution. To this end, the article used a qualitative research approach that relied on both primary and secondary sources of data. Interviews, field observation, focus group discussions, and document analysis were utilised to obtain data. The findings show that, despite the fact that both the FDRE and SNNPRS constitutions promised "unconditional right to every national, nationality, and people to have the right to self-determination up to secession," the Konso quest for self-rule was rejected, their previous semi-autonomous status was dissolved, and they were relegated to ordinary Woreda. The merger transformed Special Woredas into ordinary Woredas while also shifting nationality self-rule to multi-ethnic self-rule, resulting in a paradigm shift in terms of self-rule practice. The Woredas lack essential identity-related self-government autonomy, such as the capacity to choose the working language and the right to appoint and remove officials as needed. A major source of concern is the decline in capital budgets and the delayed development of infrastructure. As a result, the SNNP regional government has breached both its original ideological vows and the framework of the constitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Treaty of Lausanne was signed on 24th July 1923 as a peace treaty that ended the first world war for Turkey and the allied powers. In a section entitled "protection of minorities", it provides rights for minorities. However, the beneficiaries of minority rights in Lausanne are more narrow than those provided in other treaties and declarations of the time. With a legal basis in domestic law, Turkey traditionally applied the rights provided in the Lausanne Treaty only for three so-called non-Muslim groups, i.e. Greeks, Armenians and Jews. Neither the Turkish delegation nor the members of the allied forces' delegations could foresee that some members of the Muslim groups of 1923 might quit Islam in the future and recourse to Lausanne rights as new beneficiaries. This article, by referring to preparatory works of the Treaty, examining its legal validity internationally and nationally, and applying interpretative principles of international treaties, argues for the extension of Lausanne rights to other groups via re-interpretation and re-implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the reasons behind obligatory integration policies for immigrants in Europe. It discusses various justifications for these policies, such as self-interest, respect towards the host society, ideals of communal life, the need for communication, the responsibility to avoid reliance on welfare systems, and integration contracts. The author concludes that only the responsibility to avoid the need for assistance and integration contracts might justify these policies, but only for specific groups of immigrants. The article presents different perspectives on the topic but does not take a definitive stance. It suggests that current integration policies in many European states may be unjust and calls for a reevaluation of these policies. [Extracted from the article]

Nigeria, a multilingual nation with over 500 languages, faces significant challenges due to linguistic diversity, which often exacerbates social, economic, and political tensions. Existing literature has extensively examined the role of language in national identity and integration, but there is a notable research gap regarding the potential impact of creating a unified national language by amalgamating Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. This study aims to explore the feasibility and implications of such an initiative for promoting national unity and cohesion in Nigeria. In this study, a mixedmethods approach was employed, involving both quantitative and qualitative data collection to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential impact of a unified national language in Nigeria. A total of 500 respondents were selected, including language experts, educators, and community leaders, using purposive sampling to ensure that participants possessed relevant knowledge and experience in linguistic and socio-political matters related to national integration and identity. The findings reveal that while there are substantial cultural and practical challenges in harmonizing the three languages, the potential benefits in terms of enhanced national identity, social cohesion, and improved governance are significant. The study concludes that a unified language could serve as a powerful unifying tool if implemented with careful planning, inclusive dialogue, and cultural sensitivity. It recommends further research into the linguistic and socio-political aspects of language unification and the development of comprehensive language policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coloniality in education and language policies continues to impact Indigenous communities in implicit and complex ways. In this article, we describe the case of Colombia where, like in many other countries in the Global South, educational policy messages are contradictory. While ethno-education policies purport to sustain Indigenous languages and epistemologies and grant Indigenous peoples the right to educate their children and youth in ways that sustain their cultural and linguistic identities, the National Bilingual Plan enforces colonial English and Spanish exclusively, thus implicitly devaluing Indigenous peoples' bilingualism. This has resulted in further displacement of Indigenous languages that now compete for space in the curriculum against two colonial languages. Drawing on Southern Epistemologies Coloniality and Decoloniality, in this case study, we explore how these seemingly contradicting policies impact curriculum design, how teachers and school administrators in the Wayuu community, the largest Indigenous people in Colombia, perceive and navigate these demands, and how they, along other community members, envisage possibilities to resist this impact. Findings point to the insufficiency of stand-alone policies to sustain Indigenous languages and cultures and assert the need to center Indigenous voices and epistemologies to decolonize education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Al-Adab / Al-ādāb is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article interrogated the existence of Sepedi, Northern Sotho and Sesotho sa Leboa as different language names that are used to designate one and the same language. The researcher’s main intention was to determine if the socio-onomastic dissension that is caused by the aforementioned language names qualifies to be resolved from a legal point of view. Content analysis as a qualitative research approach was used, where the researcher mainly focused on constitutional imperatives, relevant legislations and minutes of the Joint Parliamentary Constitutional Review Committee. The article established that the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court as well as the Department of Justice and Correctional Services have failed in their responsibilities, specifically in resolving the matter under discussion. The article further pronounced that the current defiance and disregard of Section 6(1) of the Constitution of South Africa, Act No. 108 of 1996 was exacerbated by poor monitoring and evaluation, lack of public accountability, poor oversight and confusion of roles and responsibilities between the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Commission for the Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities. The intervention by a competent court of law is recommended since the matter has been dragging since the finalisation of the Constitution in 1996. The article contributes to scientific knowledge by presenting the perspective that, from a legal point of view, Sepedi is the official language, not Northern Sotho or Sesotho sa Leboa.

AbstractReproduction is considered a core event in a cisgender heterosexual woman’s life. Several hierarchies exist within the field of reproduction, with reproduction being privileged among people from dominant races, classes, castes, ages, and abilities. In this paper, I explore uterine transplantion as an emerging mode of reproduction, which privileges the experience of pregnancy in addition to genetic relatedness, specifically within the Indian context. The focus is on the socio-cultural and economic discourses surrounding the marketisation of reproductive technologies and how these recalibrate social and familial dynamics concerning reproduction. I argue that the mobilisation of the language of reproduction as a right could potentially transform into reproduction as a duty. Reproductive biopolitics is used as a lens to think through the value of wombs in relation to the bodies they inhabit, and the pressures the marketisation of wombs puts on both recipients and donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in the intangible cultural heritage of minority and Indigenous communities has grown in recent years. Minority languages are often a key element of this heritage but require constant safeguarding and practice to be available for future generations. The linguistic landscapes of (in)tangible cultural heritage museums can play a crucial role in this. In this study, the linguistic landscape of the ‘Gerhard Rohlfs’ Museum of the Calabrian Greek Language is therefore explored to understand how it can contribute to the safeguarding of a severely endangered language. A linguistic landscape analysis of 248 photographs revealed a significant presence of Calabrian Greek (Greko), reflecting a more equal status and prestige compared to Italian. The most widely used language, however, was Italian, ensuring museum content was accessible to the presumed main target audience. The lack of English suggests lower international visitor numbers, potentially benefiting the safeguarding of Calabrian Greek by reducing competition with another majority language. The findings thus demonstrate how language choices can support safeguarding measures for languages as intangible cultural heritage, through challenging language hierarchies and hegemonies. Further research should explore tourists’ and locals’ perceptions of such museums and the potential use of minority or endangered languages as sustainable tourism resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing number of children in the U.S. classified as English Learners (ELs). Accurately identifying and supporting ELs in their academic settings entails understanding their non-English language experiences. This study presents findings from language reporting practices from seven U.S. states by examining how states account for the linguistic diversity of Indigenous Mesoamerican languages. Our findings reveal varied state approaches and underscore the limitations of current federal guidance, which limits the recognition of students' non-English language experiences. We advocate for updating language identification practices and policies and propose a new framework for accurate language identification and continuous monitoring of student linguistic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 20 years, a number of political theorists have been focusing on the just political treatment of linguistic diversity in liberal democratic societies. This body of work, known as the 'linguistic justice' literature, has mainly examined two specific categories of linguistic groups: autochthonous linguistic minorities and immigrants. However, it has entirely neglected non-resident citizens, that is, citizens of a country who reside in a different one, and their distinctive language interests and rights. In this article, we address this gap by developing a theory of linguistic justice for non-resident citizens, using diaspora institutions as a case study. More specifically, we draw on the linguistic justice literature to outline two categories of non-resident citizens' language interests and rights, that is, those related to opportunity access and to democracy. We finally suggest ways in which language-related diaspora institutions could be reformed in order to better fulfil non-resident citizens' language interests and rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the writer considers the current state of the cultural and linguistic rights of the Sámi, how they are supported by cultural policy and how decolonising cultural policy could contribute to the ongoing struggles of realising the self-determination and cultural rights of the Sámi. The article stipulates that concrete steps need to be taken for decolonising cultural policy in Finland specifically concerning the cultural and human rights of the Sámi. Cultural policy should be based on cultural rights, thus introducing decolonial practices in support of the Sámi culture and languages and into the culture policy and funding is imperative. The article suggests creating decolonial practices of research and policymaking rooted in intersectional and participatory methods that recognise the many forms of discrimination, not only the current-day colonialism or the effects of assimilation but also the intersections of an indigenous identity with other forms of discrimination. Furthermore, contributing to decolonisation should include research on the effects of colonisation on cultural rights, cultural policy and the distribution of funds for promoting the Sámi culture and languages in the Sámi communities and Finland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed Education First’s Standard English Test scores coming from 2 mln learners of English in 109 countries world-wide. Proficiency in English as a global lingual franca is an important skill in various areas of international communication. A larger linguistic distance between English as a second language and a learner’s first language has been put forward as increasing the efforts or costs of learning English. Instead of the subjective measures used in the past, we constructed a quantitative linguistic distance measure based on comparing words (lexicon), constructions (morpho-syntax), and sounds (phonology) between English and 59 mother tongues. Mixed regression analyses were carried out on the countries’ proficiency scores with a country’s human capital index, the official status of English in a country, and linguistic distance as predictors. All three predictors turn out to be robust proficiency determinants. Language skills constitute an essential component of human resources in today’s emerging and growing knowledge economy. These skills cannot be taken for granted and additional language training is required when linguistic distances are large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This empirical study explores migrant inclusion in the linguistically diverse city of Glasgow. The particular focus is on the minoritisation of emergent speakers of English, who can find it especially difficult to access support. The research involved in-depth interviews with professionals at third-sector organisations supporting people with a refugee or migrant background. Interviewees gave examples of flexible communicative practices that support migrant inclusion. Such communicative practices can be understood in terms of translanguaging: the way that speakers fluidly draw on their full linguistic repertoires to make meaning. The analysis indicates that language minoritisation can be reduced when services better reflect the linguistic diversity of community members who access them. The examples given show how organisations can embrace linguistic diversity in ways that appear to enable inclusion, valuing the linguistic and cultural resources of recently arrived and settled community members. The article concludes that organisations which are more community led and linguistically diverse can better support the inclusion of language-minoritised migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Chile, education of deaf students historically revealed a position of subordination with respect to the hearing population, oppressive dynamics, and reparatory inclusion mechanisms. Therefore, the following questions are to be answered from the individual experiences of deaf adults: What situations experienced at school represent areas of social justice and injustice? And what do Chilean deaf adults expect from education in terms of social justice? The methodological approach corresponds to a biographical-narrative design, with the participation of six deaf adults connected to the educational system. The findings reveal the absence of affection, unequal treatment, and a lack of social esteem in the experiences related in these narratives in regular classrooms. That is, there is no information in the narratives revealing that Honneth's (1997) fundamental principles of reciprocal recognition were respected in their experiences. The narrators also state that deaf individuals should be taught through Chilean Sign Language (LSCh) and other visual strategies. The main conclusions indicate that a cooperative work is necessary to vindicate the spheres of recognition as a social justice approach, especially in favor of the linguistic and cultural rights of the deaf community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that the opening up of international organisations (IOs) to the participation of civil society organisations (CSOs) has not only failed to dismantle structures of rule. Rather, it should be understood as a perpetuation of rule, re-enacted in and through the everyday practices of IO-CSO interactions in dialogue forums. To make this argument, I build on Bourdieu's notion of symbolic power to conceptualise rule as a hierarchical relationship of mutual recognition, characterised by compliance and actualised through (discursive) practices. In dialogue forums, rule is enacted through the ability of dominant actors to impose meanings (classifications, categories, normative standards) as legitimate. By analysing the Civil Society Policy Forum, I show how the institutions have managed the criticism emanating from CSOs through discursive assimilation, i.e. by both opening up space for dialogue and delimiting the boundaries of political discourse, leading CSOs to accept the conditions for reproducing the institutional discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study provides an overview of prominent themes pertaining to portrayals of sign languages (SLs) and Deaf people in the South African press (2011–2019), as well as an analysis of a subset of articles to illustrate the discursive constructions of each of the prominent ideological framings. The findings of the paper suggest that many ways of representing South African Sign Language (SASL) and their users align with international trends. The two most prominent ideological framings are the medical/disability model and the linguistic minority model. Within the medical model, SLs are seen as inferior means of communication used by a disabled minority. Within the linguistic minority framework SLs are regarded as natural, legitimate languages deserving equal status to spoken languages. The paper also identifies an ideological framing that is not predicted by the international literature, coined here as 'diversity tokenism'. Diversity tokenism is when SL is mentioned only to increase perceived diversity, where diversity is a commodity that holds social capital. This portrayal of SASL seems to be increasing and holds a warning: although SASL users have received official recognition and rights through the recent declaration of SASL as an official language, it might not be the end of the battle to ensure that users of SASL can live out their linguistic citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution will examine the relationship between linguistic practices and the development of the indigenous Misak community in Colombia. Based on qualitative data from two field surveys conducted in the Guambfa resguardo, Cauca department, in 2021 and 2022, our approach includes semi-structured interviews, participant observations, and workshops in the indigenous language (TERPLO) with students at various levels. Our theoretical framework will be grounded in the principles of Giovanni Agresti's Social Development Linguistics, which emphasizes on-the-ground intervention in collaboration with language speakers to improve the quality of life for marginalized populations. By analyzing the Misak case, we will identify the crucial role of minority languages in the intergenerational transmission of ancestral knowledge and community practices, thereby promoting sustainable development and territorial reappropriation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Commentary critically reflects on the papers published in the Special Issue (SI) of Applied Linguistics Review titled 'Reflection and Reform of Applied Linguistics from the Global South: Power and Inequality in English users from the Global South'. While the papers in the SI add new insights to the recent innovations in the ontology and epistemology of Applied Linguistics based on research studies done in the contexts of Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Nepal, the Commentary shows that more research studies on the multi-modal meaning-making processes and the spatiality and temporality of semiotic resources will give a greater understanding of the meaning-making processes. The Commentary also indicates that the politics underlying the governance, policy packages of neoliberalism in education, and hidden linguistic governmentality observable in language policies and practices in both Global South and Global North require further attention. Decoloniality, moreover, requires delinking from the academic practices that give immense importance to northern theories. Minimizing intellectual dependency on northern theories may help gain the intellectual sovereignty of the South. Hence, the Commentary indicates that it is high time to explore what the epistemological South and geographical South have to say about the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religion raises many legal questions in confessional systems where a minor child is usually assigned the parents' religion ex officio. In Iraq, as in many Middle Eastern countries, the conversion to Islam of one of the parents results in the conversion of their minor children. For decades, the Iraqi Court of Cassation has granted children the right to choose their religion upon reaching majority. From the early 21st century, the case law of the Court of Cassation has evolved towards denying children this right of option (iḫtiyār). The child is therefore deprived of his/her right to choose and must remain Muslim. In this article, the author criticizes this reversal of jurisprudence and deplores its dire consequences on social peace. After analyzing the teachings of Islamic law and the texts of positive Iraqi law, he concludes that the new trend of the Court of Cassation is ill-founded and flawed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on elements of successful sociocultural inclusion and linguistic participation in a bilingual dual-language preschool for Latinx children. It presents a subset of findings from a three-year qualitative research project in which Latinx critical race theory and a translanguaging framework were used to illuminate critical intersections between children's funds of knowledge, their translanguaging talents, and their interests in play and social interaction. Learning Stories served as both the focus for documentation and the unit of analysis for understanding children's translanguaging experiences, as well as for promoting new forms of authentic assessment for family engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crave TV's niche hit Letterkenny is packed with exercises in wordplay and examinations of semantics that serve various functions in its presentation of life in small‐town Canada. This article examines how the progymnasmata of classical rhetorical education and the linguistic comedy bits in Letterkenny serve a similar role in preparing their users (and viewers) to both engage in a specific type of dialogue and establish and enforce moral boundaries as are accepted in the society in which they live and participate, and how fan circulation of these language memes reflects the transference of those morals to the culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patriation of the Constitution and the enshrinement of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982 opened a new "window of opportunity" for equity-seeking groups to better access legal arenas in Canada. They have been frequent interveners in Canadian courts within the post-Charter era, where they are perceived to have a heightened potential to influence public policy. However, whether this potential to enact change through the courts has been realized, or whether it has been realized to the same extent for all equityseeking groups, is disputed in the literature. Francophone minority communities in particular have been among the most active equity-seeking interveners, but their legal activism has been significantly understudied. To better understand the legal mobilization of Francophone minority communities, we conducted a mixed-methods analysis of the 35 language-rights cases heard by the Supreme Court of Canada between 1975 and 2020. From an empirical analysis of court transcripts and interest group documentation, as well as semi-directed interviews with key stakeholders, we find these groups to be distinct in a number of ways. Most prominently, the findings reveal that Francophone minority community organizations are strategically collaborative actors, and legal mobilization as a result is more sophisticated than what is typically assumed about equity-seeking groups. We situate these findings within a wider historical and political context and comment on the lessons that can be gleaned for equity-seeking interveners writ large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Happiness as a complex combination of individual, collective, affective, rational, and circumstantial constituents is either integrated or should be integrated in the policy-making of modern states and societies, in line with the global endeavor towards achieving sustainable development goals. Given the social relevance of happiness, the most broadly accepted relevant indicators for its attainment, and the great gap that exists due to insufficient empirical treatment of the matter in North Macedonia, this exploratory paper aims to determine the impact of age, gender, health, unemployment, religion, ethnicity (by spoken language), and language-based discrimination on individual happiness in the Republic of North Macedonia. The research was based on descriptive statistical operations and regression analysis of the ESS 10 data regarding the Republic of North Macedonia, obtained for the first time for this country; as well as on secondary analysis of studies considering wide-range surveys, statistical data and reports. Health, employment, ethnicity, and ethnic and linguistic discrimination represent strong determinants of happiness in this country. Indications are high that age and happiness are linearly correlated. The gender is less important in defining happiness in North Macedonia; however, women are slightly happier than men. The majority population, speaking the Macedonian language and practicing Orthodox Christianity, experience higher levels of happiness than the linguistic and religious native minorities in North Macedonia. Further in-depth research based on consistent and compatible data is needed, to the end of advancing researchbased policies in the social, economic and healthcare systems of this county. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the open court principle in Zimbabwe from a language rights perspective. Data were collected through an analysis of the statutes which enshrine this principle to examine their adequacy (or lack thereof). Court observations and semi-structured interviews with purposively sampled key participants were used to corroborate data from document analysis. Findings of this study show that Zimbabwean courts are not open courts in the true sense of the word because members of the public in the gallery are not guaranteed the right to an interpreter or translator. Legally represented litigants or those who express comfort with English are not offered interpretation services, which is a clear indication that interpretation services are primarily meant for litigants and not members of the public in the gallery. Consequently, Zimbabwean courts merely guarantee physical access, and deny members of the public linguistic access. English is the language of the proceedings and record, yet the majority of the members of the public are functionally illiterate in English. Based on this, I therefore argue that opening up the physical space of courts and guaranteeing physical access to the court documents is of little or no use if the citizens are linguistically excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Prohistoria is the property of Prohistoria Ediciones and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

National identity is usually based on certain features, which enable an individual to perceive his/her national identity. In addition to culture, customs, traditions, a defined territory, a shared history, etc., language is a strong basis for an individual's identification with a certain ethnic group. Language is considered to be the most universal means of communication as it helps us to convey the content of information when communicating. However, accelerating globalization affects even the use of a national language and, thus, the younger generation is often more focused on the dissemination of information in English. As a result, it seems that the native language is pushed aside, and little significance is given to its correctness. National identity and the use of national language are extremely important for representatives of certain professions, for example, statutory officers, soldiers, and specialists of law because clarity and logic are some of the most important elements in legal documents to comprehensively render the content. Therefore, the article aims to reveal the attitudes of the students of the Public Security Academy of Mykolas Romeris University towards the significance and place of national language and national identity in modern society as well as the importance of language skills for professional career. The survey results revealed that many young people associate national identity with their native language and culture, and find common links between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective communication in medical writing is essential for conveying accurate and understandable information to healthcare professionals and patients. English language errors in medical literature can lead to misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and potentially harmful consequences. This systematic literature review aims to identify, analyze, and categorize common English language errors encountered in medical writing. This study identifies gaps in existing literature on language errors in medical writing and reveals areas that need further investigation or where more comprehensive guidelines are required. This study addresses six questions: (1) What types of language errors are discussed in the current literature? (2) What types of medical writing are involved in the current literature? (3) Which countries or areas are involved in the current literature? (4) What are the research methods used in the studies? (5) What tools are used in the studies? (6) What are the limitations of these studies? To answer these questions, this review searched nine databases and one platform, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Fulltext, ProQuest Ebook Central (e-Books), Scopus, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library (e-Journals & e-Books) (PPV), Science Direct, Cambridge Core e-Books, Oxford Press Scholarship Online (e-Books), Google Scholar, and Carian Bestari@UKM / Discovery Service@UKM. Finally, ten studies were selected, including articles and books. The findings provide insights into types of language errors, types of medical writing, countries or areas of medical writing, research methods, tools, and limitations of these ten studies, highlighting the importance of linguistic accuracy and proficiency in medical writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gheada and the seseo are the two pronunciations most stigmatised by the top-down standardising tradition of Galician from the mid-19th century. Social stereotypes of peasantry, ignorance, and vulgarity were built on them. Nowadays, those stereotypes are the basis for indexical pointing. These pronunciations were outlawed from schools in the past. Today, despite having been considered standard by The Royal Galician Academy since 1982, they are almost absent from the classrooms, including those of Galician language and literature. This situation is detrimental to the linguistic capital of its users as compared to that of standard speakers. Nonetheless, since the end of the 20th century, there has been a social resignification of the gheada and seseo, symbolically used to express authenticity, ethnolinguistic adherence, and/or socio-political and cultural resistance. Currently, the emergence of vernacular language ideologies (VLIs) counterbalances the weight of standard language ideologies (SLIs) on these phenomena. This article analyses the linguistic attitudes of a sample of young people towards these two dialectal varieties as opposed to the standard pronunciations. It also identifies the indexical associations of contrasting varieties and their evolution over time. For this purpose, the matched-guise technique in combination with semantic differential scales (SDSs) has been applied. The results show that whereas standard pronunciations index social success, dialectal pronunciations index solidarity. However, while the standard indexical values are very stable, a rise in dialectal ratings is observed over fifteen years, which means an improvement of the attitudes towards them. As in other European minority languages, this phenomenon indicates a process of value levelling of the linguistic varieties and the growing weight of the VLIs in late modernity in Galicia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It seems impossible to explain language choice and practice in the multilingual, understudied context of an asylum law firm by simply referring to official policy texts and linguistic (human) rights. Based on linguistic-ethnographic data (in the form of participant observations, recordings and interviews conducted in the Belgian context), this study integrates a top-down perspective (focusing on the influence of language management) with a bottom-up perspective (by eliciting the research participants' language attitudes and ideologies and by investigating what actually happens in practice). Approaching these different parameters of language policy from a discourse analytical perspective, shows how a clear framework of linguistic (human) rights to regulate lawyer-client communication is missing. Because of the lack of concrete stipulations on how to make language choice acts, interpretation of linguistic needs is left to the individual assessment of lawyers. This leads to highly situated decision-making practices, where lawyers draw on their own experience as well as the input of others to organise multilingual interaction. Although a top-down policy exists, practice shows a lack of regulation and transparency in the selection of linguistic strategies/support on the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Relaciones Internacionales (1699-3950) is the property of Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain, International Relations Studies Group (GERI) Law Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: In the process of comprehension, linguistic negation induces inhibition of negated scenarios. Numerous studies have highlighted the role of the right Inferior Frontal Gyrus (rIFG) - a key component of the inhibitory network - in negation processing. Social avoidance can be linguistically portrayed using attitudinal verbs such as "exclude" vs. "include", which inherently carry negative connotations. Consequently, we hypothesize that the interplay between explicit negation and the implicit negativity of avoidance verbs can be modulated via transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the rIFG. Methods: In our study, sixty-four participants read approach/avoidance sentences, which were either affirmative or negative, such as "Anne included (did not include) meat in her diet" vs. "Anne excluded (did not exclude) meat in her diet". This reading task followed a 20-minute tDCS session. The sentences were sequentially displayed, and at 1500 ms post-sentence, a verb was shown -- either the one previously mentioned or its semantic alternative counterpart (e.g., included vs. excluded). Results: Findings revealed that anodal stimulation intensifies the inhibitory impact of negation during sentence comprehension. Under anodal conditions, negative sentences led to extended reading times for the mentioned verbs compared to their affirmative counterparts, suggesting an increased inhibitory effect on the verb. Furthermore, in avoidance sentences, anodal stimulation resulted in reduced reading times for alternative verbs (e.g. "included") in negative sentences compared to alternative verbs (e.g. "excluded") in negated approach sentences. Discussion: As "avoidance" is semantically equivalent to "non-approach", the inhibitory effect of negation is primarily applied to the implicit negation: NOT EXCLUDED = NOT→NOT (INCLUDED), which consequently activates the representation of the alternative verb making it more available. We further discuss these findings in light of the rIFG's pivotal role in processing attitudinal verbs and linguistic negation. This discussion is framed within the overarching context of the two-step model of negation processing, highlighting its significance in the realm of social communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has suggested that Swedish higher education institutions' (HEIs') language policies may exclude some academic staff from work-related activities due to (dual) monolingual ideologies requiring one language at a time. This study, based on the analysis of twenty-one language policy texts, investigates HEIs' policies using a lens of inclusion at workplaces with linguistic diversity, drawing on concepts from diversity management and language policy for democracy of inclusion. All documents examined began with statements of HEIs' values relevant to the policies. Inclusion was seldom explicitly emphasized, although policies suggested ways to facilitate it. We argue that some of the approaches – namely, taking a top-down monolinguistic approach to language choice, requiring staff to be highly proficient in both Swedish and English, and offering unspecified language support – reinforce language-based in-groups and out-groups, likely compromising rather than facilitating inclusion. Another approach, emphasizing individuals' rights to choose what language they use, facilitates inclusion only if support is provided for everyone's understanding. Providing immediate language support and encouraging bottom-up, flexible language choice were less common approaches but seem particularly likely to facilitate inclusion. Our analysis suggests that policies prioritizing successful communication, not specific languages, facilitate inclusion and help employees develop job-related language and intercultural communicative competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how Canada's Official Languages Act (OLA) reinforces the sociopolitical constructs of language barriers and linguistic borders. Questions addressed are: in Canada, who do linguistic borders serve, how do linguistic borders function, and what are the effects of linguistic borders? The theoretical framework draws from raciolinguistics and border imperialism. The method, a socio-diagnostic critique, juxtaposes the discursive practices of the OLA with border governance strategies. Results highlight how linguistic border governance creates the conditions for language-based discrimination to thrive. The paper concludes with a call to disinvest from the OLA, and a turning toward the waterlanguage connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The right to an interpreter in the health care sector is an indispensable right, especially given that issues in this sector have a bearing on life and death if language becomes a barrier to diagnosis and prognosis. Against this background, this article examines the policy position and practice in Zimbabwe in relation to the right to health. It also examines the implications of the two on the right of access to health. Findings of this study show that the right to health care services and information in Zimbabwe is not guaranteed in the language understood by the patient and in forms of communication suitable for persons with disabilities or through an interpreter. Some patients' right of access to health care services and information is compromised due to the language barrier. There are no linguistic considerations in the deployment of medical practitioners such that some practitioners find themselves in communities with languages they cannot speak or understand. This compromises diagnosis, prognosis and patient adherence to treatment. It was observed that persons with disabilities and minority language speakers are the most affected in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]