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The Politics of Language in the European Union

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 July 2009

Alan Forrest
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Abstract

Linguistic obstacles to common European Union action are overcome by a system of official languages (currently 11) for translation of official texts and interpretation at meetings. In practice, flexibility in language use is frequently required. Here, political tensions arise because of the onward march of English as a language of European Union dialogue; some Member States feel the status of their language is being threatened. In this context, education, culture and other programmes having language provisions can have a compensatory role: their multilingual approach reinforces the cohesion of the Union. Their significance will be even greater if enlargement brings 11 further languages into the Union.

Type
Research Article
Information
European Review , Volume 6 , Issue 3 , August 1998 , pp. 299 - 319
Copyright
Copyright © Academia Europaea 1998

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