engleski

Toward an Equitable Europe: Languages, Cultures, Identities

The notion of a perfect language may seem utopian to many, but it has been present since ancient times in European culture (and elsewhere, though here we stick to Europe). Though Umberto Eco (1993) calls the "story of perfect languages a story of a Utopia and of a series of failures", that does not make the story itself a failure ; it is of interest to see why and how the notion of a perfect or universal language has stayed "on the table" for centuries. It comes back and strengthens at times of great economic and social crises that lead to wars, to larger or smaller conflicts, to national, religious and political divisions. In such times languages have often been a means to deepen divisions in all spheres, including that of national language policy. Today's Europe and today's world face the same problems. Crises rapidly change the cultural and linguistic map of Europe, (re)define new identities and new identity policies. Identity is by definition fluid, so no unambiguous content can be assigned to it. Despite or perhaps because of this, identity has become an unavoidable topic for many discussions that seek to open or close spaces for tolerance and mutual respect. As a basic means of communication, language best demonstrates our dependence on a collective identity. Europe, in the sense of the EU, continues to promote a European identity and extended language competence in at least two additional languages. Though it is nowhere stated what these two languages beyond the mother tongue are to be, it is nearly an unwritten law that one is English, the global language of today. Some have thought English would never become a supranational language of the Union since all its languages are deeply embedded in national and cultural traditions, yet practice has shown that generalized English is becoming the "universal mediator". One might even call it "perfect", since it "opens" every communicative space, and has long ago lost its symbolic (strictly national) dimension. The proof of this is Brexit: though the UK is at the Union's exit door, English as an official language of Ireland and Malta will remain one of the Union's official languages. Its global spread and wide acceptance assure it the ambivalent status of "universal" and "perfect" language which will contribute ever more to strengthening a supranational European identity. "Perfect" language a priori excludes "chosen" languages and, no less important, their speakers – "chosen" nations, and this is the best response to all those political, cultural, national and religious divisions which Europe is far from overcoming ; indeed, ubiquitous and large-scale migrations of new languages, cultures and identities, particularly in the West, have widened and deepened such divisions with inequitable inter-language relationships. Despite all Conventions and Charters, Europe is unable to fully carry out a proactive common cultural policy ; the examples of differing national policies show the reverse, though only such a common policy could yield a just and equitable Europe.

''perfect'' language, equitable Europe, European identity, cultural policy, new languages/identities

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