Stresses the importance of maintaining multilingualism in the United States in the face of arguments by "English Only" advocates that the U.S. risks being torn apart by multilingualism. Historical evidence from the Soviet Union and from Australia is cited to support the viability of successful management of multilingualism. (Author/DJD)

A paradox is discussed that underlies the aims of linguists who attempt to influence, deliberately and systematically, the linguistic behavior of a community, while trying to avoid charges of prescriptivism. A balance between promoting feasible economic units and preserving linguistic diversity is advocated. (57 references) (Author/LB)

Examines the move toward federal constitutional rights for minority language populations and the trade-off considerations of implementing such a move. It is argued that minority language populations benefit from maintenance of decentralized language policies and that state bureaucratic agencies are more protective of language minority rights than…

Argues that two influential studies of multilingualism in India are misleading in that they claim India's situation is unique and cherish this uniqueness as a value. It is proposed instead that this sociolinguistic diversity is inherently conflict-producing and leads to loss of "weak" languages, similar to documented situations in other…

A response to an argument that Canadian language policy prevents the self-defense of minority languages through exclusive territorial control (LaPonce, 1984) addresses the relative neglect of research concerning language and territoriality in the European context and contrasts the contemporary multilingual situations in Spain and Switzerland to…

The hispanicization of Mayan immigrants in Los Angeles is explored, focusing on the patterns of usage of Mayan, Spanish, and English among men, women, and children, and the trend toward Spanish-English bilingualism. (Author/MSE)

A Federal Government Policy in Nigeria aimed at unifying the country through the use of three major languages (Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo) has been inhibited because there are no teachers. Resistance from speakers of other languages to the enforced learning of one of the major languages also seems likely. Maintenance of English is suggested as the…