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JURGITA JAROSLAVIENĖ
Institute of the Lithuanian Language
GINTARĖ JUDŽENTYTĖ-ŠINKŪNIENĖ
Vilnius University
LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE MODERN WORLD: LANGUAGE POWER AND PRESTIGE
The 26th Jonas Jablonskis Conference
KEYWORDS: Jonas Jablonskis, conference, linguistic diversity, language power, prestige.
On 3–4 October 2019, the 26th1 international scientific Jonas Jablonskis Conference LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE MODERN WORLD: LANGUAGE POWER AND PRESTIGE (Linguistic Diversity in the Modern World: Language Power and Prestige) took place at the Institute of the Lithuanian Language. The event was organized by the Centre for Standard Language Research at the Institute of the Lithuanian Language (hereafter, LKI) and the Department of Lithuanian Language of the Institute of Applied Linguistics, Faculty of Philology, Vilnius University (hereafter, VU). They brought together the international academic community to discuss linguistic diversity in languages, dialects, and linguistic communities; language use and standardization; changes in language norms; relations between the standard language and dialectal and other language varieties; trends in European language policy and planning; language power and prestige; the development of advanced linguistic tools and electronic services; the benefits of digital language resources; and other topics. Participants from 15 countries delivered 45 presentations on these subjects. The presentation abstracts were prepared in electronic format2. Based on the presentations, scholarly and popular-science articles will be published in the journal Bendrinės kalbos in 2020.
Both days of the conference began with plenary sessions. At the first session, chaired by Dr Albina Auksoriūtė (LKI) and Prof. Dr Irena Smetonienė (VU), the invited
1 More information about other Jonas Jablonskis conferences can be found http://lki.lt/26-oji-tarptautine-moksline-jono-jablonskio-konferencija/ and http://www.jablonskio-konferencija.flf.vu.lt/lt/.
2 The abstracts can be downloaded from the LKI website at http://lki.lt/26-oji-tarptautine-moksline-jono-jablonskio-konferencija/.
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The guest, vice-president of the European Federation of National Institutions for Language (European Federation of National Institutions for Language, EFNIL; hereafter, the Federation), chair of the Danish Language Technology Committee, and former director of the Danish Language Council, Dr Sabine Kirchmeier, introduced the Federation’s activities, reviewed issues in European language policy, trends in policy planning, and the state of language technology development in Denmark and other European countries.
FIG. 1. From left: Dr Albina Auksoriūtė (Director of the Institute of the Lithuanian Language), Prof. Dr Irena Smetonienė (Professor at Vilnius University), Dr Sabine Kirchmeier (Vice-President of the European Federation of National Institutions for Language, Chair of the Danish Language Technology Committee, former Director of the Danish Language Council), Prof. Dr Inesa Šeškauskienė (Dean of the Faculty of Philology, Vilnius University)
In the lecturer’s words, the Federation currently brings together representatives of 40 leading language organizations and other national language institutions from various European member states (cf. Fig. 2). The Federation’s main goals and areas of research relate to the diversity of the official languages of Europe, multilingualism, the legal regulation of official (state) languages, language policy and planning, the overall state of languages, digital language resources, language technologies, and the use of languages in the media, education, and other important
BENDRINĖ KALBA 92 (2019)
www.bendrinekalba.lt
ISSN 2351-7204
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in areas of public life, language teaching, and language dissemination. To achieve its objectives, it carries out various projects, conducts surveys, organizes an annual conference, and holds other targeted meetings.
FIG. 2. Informational postcard of the European Federation of National Language Institutions
Drawing on the results of one of the most recent studies, Dr. Sabine Kirchmeier noted that in 21 European countries, languages are regulated by a constitution, a language law, and/or other documents. Differences in regulation depend on historically established circumstances and traditions, the formation of standard languages, and other characteristics. For example, Denmark’s Constitution was adopted in 1849, and since then only a few rather insignificant amendments have been made. When the country was still homogeneous and one language was spoken, no one yet considered including special provisions in the Constitution concerning the use of the Danish language.
By constitutional provisions, a language law, and other documents, the state language(s) is/are regulated in the following countries: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Austria, Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia. In Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal, the Czech Republic,
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In Hungary and Bulgaria, language(s) are regulated either by the constitution or by a language law and/or other documents, whereas in Belgium they are regulated by the constitution and a language law.
The guest speaker discussed language technologies and digital language resources as a means of keeping a language vital or even reviving and strengthening it (cf. Icelandic, Greenlandic, and Sami).
Another distinguished invited speaker, Prof. Dr. Frans Hinskens of the Meertens Institute in the Netherlands and Radboud University, introduced the past and present of standard Dutch, drawing attention to rapidly changing language norms and to how language is regulated by law. The guest presented the results of a recently conducted large-scale online survey, which made it possible to assess the state of standard Dutch usage in the main areas of everyday life and revealed users’ attitudes toward the language (see Fig. 3).
FIG. 3. Prof. Dr. Frans Hinskens (Meertens Institute, Radboud University, Netherlands)
The third invited plenary speaker, Prof. Dr. Ari Páll Kristinsson of the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, spoke about the current situation of the Icelandic language, discussed the importance of language policy in Iceland and the need to inform the public, as well as the language
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the availability and dissemination of language maintenance measures, emphasized the impact and importance of language technologies, digital tools, and other advanced instruments in nurturing the native language and strengthening its prestige (see Fig. 4).
FIG. 4. Prof. Dr. Ari Páll Kristinsson (Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies)
Scientific discussions continued in four sessions. The first session was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gintarė Judžentytė-Šinkūnienė (VU). A paper devoted to the Catalan language and its dialects was given by Prof. Pietro Umberto Dini from Italy (University of Pisa). In the context of language policy, ideology, and practice, the professor discussed Catalan as a “medium-sized” language and emphasized the importance of language to a nation, providing examples from the history of Catalan. Dr. Audrius Valotka (VU) raised a question for discussion about prescriptivism and scientific rigor in linguistics, analyzed the transition from pure to applied science, and discussed prospects for experimental development. Natalia Dankova (Université du Québec, Canada) examined adjectives and their variation in French from a psycholinguistic perspective. Prof. Dr. Jurgis Pakerys and Ignas Rudaitis (VU) presented a formal basis for the declension classes of Lithuanian nouns. They recalled that Klein was the first to describe Lithuanian declensions, in 1653. His classification was subsequently refined. The paper presented a new attempt to formalize the classification of noun declensions using a certain algorithm. The results obtained were compared
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with earlier classifications of Lithuanian noun declensions. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Danila Zuljan Kumar (Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts) concluded the session by considering how to revive an endangered language and how to adapt culture and art to reawaken the power of language.
The second session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Danguolė Mikulėnienė (LKI), focused primarily on questions of linguistic identity and variation in dialects. Prof. Dr. Daiva Aliūkaitė (VU Kaunas Faculty) spoke about the vitality of local varieties in the regions, presenting the attitudes of Samogitians and Southern Aukštaitians and their paradoxes. The question was raised as to whether the vitality and prospects of local codes are always linked only to favorable linguistic attitudes. The paper put forward the reasoned insight that the similarity of the linguistic homeland code to the standard language can determine the spread and vitality of a local code. In conclusion, it was argued that the vitality of local varieties in the regions may be determined not only by non-linguistic circumstances (cf. favorable attitudes), but also by the linguistic characteristics of the variety itself.
Prof. Dr. Ineta Dabašinskienė (VDU) examined the linguistic identity and attitudes of the Visaginas community, as well as related realities. The paper showed what happens in everyday linguistic practice, from ethnolinguistic nationalism onward, and drew attention to the dominance of the post-Soviet legacy and postmodern attitudes toward diversity and multilingualism. Doctoral researcher Christa Schneider (University of Bern, Switzerland) and Prof. Dr. Vytautas Kardelis (VU) presented the mapping of linguistic variation, both past and present. The session concluded with Dr. Nijolė Tuomienė (LKI), who discussed language use in border areas, highlighting aspects of competition and interaction and examining situations of natural communication during language (code) switching, when speakers are proficient in several languages and use them simultaneously, actively switching between them in conversation. According to the scholar, although local varieties of Lithuanian, Polish, and Belarusian have been studied for more than a century, only comprehensive research in recent years has shown that the study of a bilingual or even trilingual environment will be successful if two or all three languages in use are studied simultaneously, rather than each separately and as an independent system; in a complex linguistic environment, it is not possible, for example, to study only the phonetics or lexicon of one language.
The third session was chaired by Dr. Larisa Taranenko (Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute of the National Technical University of Ukraine). The session began with a paper by Dr. Pijus Kasparaitis and Dr. Margarita Beniuše (VU) on statistical parametric synthesis of Lithuanian speech: they presented a statistical parametric method applied for the first time to Lithuanian speech synthesis, using neural networks implemented in the software package
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Merlin, and a special set of linguistic features adapted to Lithuanian, together with feature-grouping rules, was also developed. It was found that the intelligibility and acceptability of speech synthesized using the statistical parametric method significantly exceed those of the synthesizer previously considered the best, which operates using the unit-selection method. In addition, the acceptability of the synthesized speech is close to that of natural speech recordings. L. Taranenko then presented an account of typical phonoconcepts in English folk microgenres. Zinaida Pakholok (Open International University of Human Development, Lutsk Institute of Human Development) analyzed the category of repetition in linguistic discourse.
The fourth session, chaired by doctoral researcher Agnė Aleksaitė (LKI), opened with Santa Jērāne (Latvian Language Institute, University of Latvia). She spoke about dictionary definitions, identifying theoretical and practical problems. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yuliya Vyshenskaya from Russia (Herzen State Pedagogical University) analyzed specific linguistic and non-linguistic aspects that influence the process of style generation. The session concluded with Dr. Anželika Smetonienė (LKI), who discussed the variety of Slavisms and hybrids in Motiejus Valančius’s Patarlėse žemaičių.
On the evening of the first conference day, the presenters took a tour of LKI’s interactive language museum, Lituanistikos židinys, which displays many unique language games, books and linguists’ belongings, as well as documents of importance to the language.
On the second day of the conference, the plenary session was chaired by Dr. Jurgita Jaroslavienė (LKI). The first speaker was the distinguished guest Prof. Dr. Birutė Klaas-Lang from Estonia (University of Tartu) (see Fig. 5). She presented issues concerning Estonian language policy and sustainability in higher education. The discussion addressed affirmative action, fostering attitudes toward language, and personal responsibility for speaking one’s native language. Appreciation was expressed for state support aimed at ensuring the sustainability of Estonian in all areas of life, including higher education and scientific research.
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FIG. 5. Prof. Dr. Birutė Klaas-Lang (University of Tartu) and Dr. Albina Auksoriūtė (Institute of the Lithuanian Language)
Another invited plenary speaker, Dr. (HP) Rita Miliūnaitė (LKI), presented the situation of Standard Lithuanian in the context of the dynamics of European standard languages in the post-standardization period (see Fig. 6).
FIG. 6. Dr. (HP) Rita Miliūnaitė (Institute of the Lithuanian Language)
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Drawing on the most important characteristics of the standard language, such as its commonality for the whole society, homogeneity of norms, stable codification, and prestige, the scholar presented theoretical insights that could help apply one or another model of its dynamics—destandardization, demotization, or restandardization—to Standard Lithuanian. The concept of a middle variety between regiolects and the standard language—the substandard—was brought to the fore; it can help explain changes in the use of contemporary Standard Lithuanian.
The plenary session concluded with a presentation by Prof. Dr. Irena Smetonienė (VU): the professor analyzed what the concept kalba means to a Lithuanian, discussed language as the foundation of nationality and a part of culture, and emphasized that customs can be transmitted through language regardless of a person’s place of residence (see Fig. 7). The presentation identified all the main concepts associated with the notion kalba.
FIG. 7. Prof. Dr. Irena Smetonienė (Vilnius University)
Scientific discussions continued in separate sessions. At the fifth session, chaired by Dr. Elena Riekhakaynen (Saint Petersburg State University), many presentations focused on experimental phonetics. Dr. Alla Kalyta (Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute of the National Technical University of Ukraine) presented a method for the emotional and pragmatic analysis of speech, while another speaker from Ukraine, Dr. Mykolas Kutsenko (Military Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technologies), analyzed the role of phonetic devices in identifying sincerity in English expressions of sympathy. Dentist Victoria Artjomenko of Riga (“DentalArt”) and Dr. Solveiga Čeirane (Riga Stradiņš University) discussed the search for acoustic parameters that could help assess
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the effect of experimental prostheses on the quality of Latvian consonants. The guests from Latvia presented preliminary results of an experimental study. V. Artjomenko also discussed changes in the pronunciation of the consonant [s] following aesthetic oral rehabilitation. Dr. E. Riekhakaynen and Iuliia Telova (Saint Petersburg State University) analyzed reduced word forms as an indicator of language proficiency.
The sixth session was chaired by Dr. Jolita Urbanavičienė (LKI). The first presentation was given by Dr. Miroslava Gavurová (University of Prešov, Slovakia). She emphasized the need to present peripheral folk tales as a linguistic and motivational distinctive feature. Researcher Claudio Barna (University of Milan) compared the Lithuanian prefix su- with the Classical Greek prefix συν-. Dr. Diana Dambrauskienė (LKI), discussing the distinctive features of the formation of the Raseiniai geolect, focused primarily on the influence of extralinguistic factors on informants’ linguistic attitudes. The presentation emphasized that the Raseiniai Samogitians of southern Samogitia base their perception of “their own” dialect (language) on subjective notions of dialectal and even non-dialectal features. It was noted that the appeal of the non-dialectal code and the importance of linguistic homeland in assessing one’s own dialectal or non-dialectal language variety imply the Raseiniai Samogitians’ desire to identify with users of the non-dialectal code, as well as the possible vertical change of the subdialect—the convergence of dialectal speech with the standard language.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. G. Judžentytė-Šinkūnienė (VU) explained why the ‘far’ expressions she chose to study in Aukštaitian dialects sometimes become ‘near’. The presentation showed that physical distance is not always the decisive factor in choosing one demonstrative pronoun over another. This process is often determined by other factors. Habil. Dr. Kazimieras Garšva (LKI) spoke about the proper names of the Panevėžys dialect speakers, specifically their pronunciation, spelling, and standardization; there was also discussion of why regulations on changing surnames should more clearly govern the joining of different personal names and changes to their suffixes and endings.
At the conference’s seventh session, chaired by Dr. Aurelia Tamulionienė (LKI), poster presentations were delivered by Dr. Iryna Borbenchuk and Dr. Zoja Kornjeva (Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute of the National Technical University of Ukraine), Dr. Inna Humeniuk (Sumy State A. S. Makarenko Pedagogical University), Irina Korobeynikova, Dr. Elena Riekhakaynen and Dr. Anatoly Ventsov (Saint Petersburg State University), Dr. Liudmyla Naumenko, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Liliia Bilas and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vira Ponomarova (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv), Oleksandra Palchevska and Petro Hubych (Lviv State University of Life Safety), researcher Valeria Prokaeva (Saint Petersburg State University), Dr. Anna Solomennik, Dr. Boris Lobanov and Dr. Vladimir Zhitko (National Academy of Sciences of Belarus
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Joint Institute for Informatics Problems of the Academy of Sciences), doctoral student Janos Taperte (University of Latvia).
At the concluding session, chaired by Dr. (HP) R. Miliūnaitė (LKI), the focus was primarily on Lithuanian studies in schools: participants discussed the need to change the school-leaving examination in Lithuanian language and literature, presented the results of recent research and insights into students’ attitudes and the influence of other languages on their Lithuanian, and discussed the relationship between language use, teaching, and learning. The situation of Lithuanian language and literature as a school subject in Lithuania’s general education schools was reviewed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zita Nauckūnaitė (LKI). The speaker emphasized the importance of developing argumentation skills, as these are one of the most important criteria for assessing essay content. It was noted that more than 90 percent of students choose an argumentative rather than a literary essay. As Lithuania prepared to update the general curricula for all levels of education, the question was raised of what competencies are essential for a person in the 21st century. Drawing on an analysis of Lithuanian education policy documents, scholarly literature, and students’ work, as well as a survey of teachers, Z. Nauckūnaitė concluded that the written school-leaving examination in Lithuanian language and literature must be changed. The speaking component also needs to be changed: during the examination, students could analyze a new nonfiction text and base their analysis on their cultural experience.
Nida Poderienė (LKI) and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonata Vaičiakauskienė (LKI) discussed the prestige of the Lithuanian language and students’ attitudes toward it, taking the education policy context into account. Teachers play a very important role in shaping students’ attitudes toward Lithuanian—the study revealed that more than half of respondents agreed that teachers should pay greater attention to how they speak and write in Lithuanian. An analysis of education policy documents shows that the highest standards of Lithuanian proficiency are not required of the country’s teachers. The conclusion is that, in shaping education policy, greater attention must be paid to the importance of Lithuanian in the educational process.
Dr. A. Tamulionienė (LKI) analyzed the influence of other languages on the Lithuanian used by students. Drawing on data provided by students in certain grades and collected in various Lithuanian cities (e.g., Druskininkai, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Panevėžys, Šiauliai, and Vilnius), the researcher indicated which foreign languages predominated in the surveyed students’ speech and reviewed the connections between students’ responses and their attitudes toward Lithuanian lessons, the teaching of Lithuanian, and the Lithuanian language itself.
Two more presentations were delivered at the conference’s final session. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lina Murinienė (VU), speaking about the names of legal entities and their linguistic normativity,
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briefly reviewed the procedures for forming and registering the names of legal entities established in Lithuania, identified the main legal and linguistic problems, and encouraged discussion and the search for appropriate solutions. Doctoral student A. Aleksaitė (LKI) introduced the audience to emotional-expressive vocabulary presented in the Lithuanian Neologism Database (http://naujazodziai.lki.lt/),). She presented the reasons for the emergence of this vocabulary and its methods of formation, briefly discussed traditional understandings and types of neologisms, and offered an innovative perspective on Lithuanian neologisms as signs of contemporary concerns.
The event was supported by the Research Council of Lithuania; the conference partner was Go Vilnius.
The next Jonas Jablonskis conference is planned for 2020, the year in which we will celebrate the 160th anniversary of the birth of the renowned linguist.
Received 2019 12 17
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LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE MODERN WORLD:
LANGUAGE POWER AND PRESTIGE
The 26thth conference of Jonas Jablonskis
Summary
In the paper, the 26th international conference of Jonas Jablonskis LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE MODERN WORLD: LANGUAGE POWER AND PRESTIGE is presented. The conference was held on October 3–4, 2019 at the Institute of the Lithuanian Language, Lithuania.
Scientists from 15 countries gave their presentations on the following topics: linguistic diversity in language(s) and dialect(s) or language communities; adaptation and standardization of language(s); relationship between standard and non-standard or regional varieties of the language(s); actualities and challenges in language policies, ideologies, and practices; dynamics of language(s) power and prestige, and other aspects related with linguistic diversity and language prestige.
KEYWORDS: Jonas Jablonskis, conference, linguistic diversity, language power, prestige.
