From Designing to Implementing Language Policies. A Case Study about the Hungarian Language in Romania

Abstract

I would like to begin my paper with a quotation from Anderson; he underlined that “nation was conceived in language and not in blood”.1 Another argument, contrary to this line of reasoning says that the use of certain languages has only a practical value, languages being pure means of communication.2 However, I believe that history and contemporary happenings permanently prove that languages are definitely more than pure means of communication. Moreover, as Karl Deutsch expressed it very creatively, they work as a social glue, they define the members and borders of a community.3 But unfortunately, the idea of the Westphalian state was not realized and it strongly seems that it will never be realized. Thus, linguistic variety dominates the whole world; in 2000 there were 200 states with more than 6,000 languages.4 This linguistic diversity is useful and valuable if we look at it from the perspective of language ecology and if we consider that every language is the spine of a specific and unique culture. But it might cause difficulties for the state in communicating with its citizens, in treating them all in an equal manner (in a liberal paradigm and liberal state as Romania is) and in defining the character of the state itself.