Language Ecology

Norwegian scholar Einar Haugen proposed language ecology to study how languages historically present in a land or social setting interact with languages that arrive in this setting due to different forms of social and economic mobility, fueled by different forms of migration and imperialist policies around the globe. As we caution against the risk of losing Indigenous and local languages as dominant languages appear, it is important to see how language ecology perspective frames the world as an ecosystem, seeking balance so all species can thrive. A language ecology approach examines power dynamics in language interactions that may marginalize minority languages. This approach also provides a form of resistance to counter neoliberal policies that promote particular policies regarding language that impose language choices in minoritized communities, further disenfranchising their languages from political, economic, and educational scenarios. Language ecology prioritizes human rights and linguistic equity. Language ecology examines cultural, historical, educational, and policy events to find sustainable and equitable language and literacy practices. Language ecology aims to prevent a dominant language from erasing minoritized and Indigenous languages in the name of globalization. Through global interactions, language ecology would empower, revitalize, and even rebirth. Language ecology advocates for critical views on bilingualism, multilingualism, language policy (especially in developing countries), and language education, especially English’s role in the world. Language ecology has also inspired scholars and advocates to challenge current language definitions like the second/foreign language binary and propose new frameworks like additional languages, second languages, or languages in contact. As societal superdiversity and local polarization clash in today’s cultural and linguistic scenarios, revisiting the notion of language ecology will ensure the survival of many languages. The influx of language ecology is currently evident in six areas: (a) the nexus between language ecology perspectives and the field of linguistics at large, in an area now coined as ecolinguistics; (b) the possibilities for language ecology to be at the front of the struggle for language rights and linguistic justice; (c) the links between language ecology and the promotion of more equitable views of multilingualism and translanguaging; (d) the possibilities for language ecology to inform language policies, especially related to Indigenous languages; (e) the connections between language ecology and a more diverse view of local varieties of English beyond the traditional idea of the inner circle (World Englishes); and (f) the potential for language ecology to be a catalyst for glocal and local language revitalization efforts. We will guide our review and selection of existing literature around them.