Full Description
This book addresses the meanings and implications of multilingualism and its uses in a context of rapid changes, in Europe and around the world. All types of organisations, including the political institutions of the European Union, universities and private-sector companies must rise to the many challenges posed by operating in a multilingual environment. This requires them, in particular, to make the best use of speakers' very diverse linguistic repertoires.
The contributions in this volume, which stem from the DYLAN research project financed by the European Commission as part of its Sixth Framework Programme, examine at close range how these repertoires develop, how they change and how actors adapt skilfully the use of their repertoires to different objectives and conditions. These different strategies are also examined in terms of their capacity to ensure efficient and fair communication in a multilingual Europe.
Careful observation of actors' multilingual practices reveals finely tuned communicational strategies drawing on a wide range of different languages, including national languages, minority languages and lingue franche. Understanding these practices, their meaning and their implications, helps to show in what way and under what conditions they are not merely a response to a problem, but an asset for political institutions, universities and business.
Contents
1. Introduction; 2. Part I. Companies; 3. Chapter 1. Multilingual practices in professional settings: Keeping the delicate balance between progressivity and intersubjectivity (by Markaki, Vassiliki); 4. Chapter 2. The practical processing of plurilingualism as a resource in professional activities: 'Border-crossing' and 'languaging' in multilingual workplaces (by Greco, Luca); 5. Chapter 3. Multilingualism and diversity management in companies in the Upper Rhine Region (by Ludi, Georges); 6. Chapter 4. Representations of multilingualism and management of linguistic diversity in companies: Intertwining of collective monophony and polyphony in individual enunciators (by Bothorel-Witz, Arlette); 7. Chapter 5. A social representational perspective on languages and their management in the Danish corporate sector (by Millar, Sharon); 8. Chapter 6. What can Gaelic teach us about effective policy through planning?: Strategies in Gaelic language planning (by Milligan, Lindsay); 9. Chapter 7. Language diversity management on corporate websites (by Yanaprasart, Patchareerat); 10. Part II. European institutions; 11. Chapter 8. Language competence and language choice within EU institutions and their effects on national legislative authorities (by Kruse, Jan); 12. Chapter 9. EU and lesser-used languages: Slovene language in EU institutions (by Stritar, Mojca); 13. Chapter 10. Dynamics of multilingualism in post-Enlargement EU institutions: Perceptions, Conceptions and Practices (by Krzyzanowski, Michal); 14. Part III. Higher education; 15. Chapter 11. Accomplishing multilingualism through plurilingual activities (by Nussbaum, Luci); 16. Chapter 12. Multilingual higher education between policies and practices: A case study (by Veronesi, Daniela); 17. Chapter 13. Plurilingualisms and knowledge construction in higher education (by Gajo, Laurent); 18. Chapter 14. Language policies in universities and their outcomes: The University of Helsinki in a Northern European context (by Moring, Tom); 19. Chapter 15. Policies and practices of multilingualism at Babes-Bolyai University (Cluj, Romania) (by Oltean, Stefan); 20. How policies influence multilingual education and the impact of multilingual education on practices (by Van de Craen, Piet); 21. Part IV. Transversal issues; 22. Chapter 17. Assessing efficiency and fairness in multilingual communication: Theory and application through indicators (by Grin, Francois); 23. Chapter 18. English as a lingua franca in European multilingualism (by Hulmbauer, Cornelia); 24. Chapter 19. Europe's multilingualism in the context of a European culture of standard languages (by Moliner, Olivier); 25. Conclusion (by Berthoud, Anne-Claude); 26. Index
