Language Wars and Linguistic Politics

Non-linguistic conflicts - economic, religious, territorial - are often projected on to language differences, and may be played out in the language policies of governments and other holders of power. Jean-Louis Calvet deals broadly, in a non-technical and introductory style, with the interaction of language issues and political process. He examines the fundamental problems arising from language contact, multilingualism, and the conflicts caused by inequalities symbolized in various patterns of language use. The book, based on sound scholarship and the author's original research, is rich in factual detail and case studies, and will be accessible to non-specialist readers.