Multilingualism is being embraced more and more rhetorically in Germany, yet the language policy approach put into practice in schools shows a hierarchical order within which languages are treated unequally. While some are viewed favourably, some others are either marginalised or largely ignored. Analysing the newly introduced Kurdish heritage language teaching in Berlin, this article seeks to explore how language hierarchies function in schools and how teaching Kurdish is confined by such hierarchies. Drawing on field notes and observations collected as part of a larger project, the article pinpoints the structural limitations and challenges faced by Kurdish heritage language instruction in Berlin and why it might contribute to the reproduction of hierarchical attitudes towards multilingualism rather than challenge them
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Language planning in the diaspora: Corpus and prestige planning for Kurdish
The socio-political situation of Kurdish in the Middle East has been largely unfavourable for the development of a standard language and related prestige. This, in turn, led the members of the Kurdish diaspora in European countries to take charge of the issues of language policy and planning of their language without relying on governmental support. As examples of diasporic language planning achievements, I will describe and discuss two initiatives based in France and Sweden respectively. With their contributions they have been providing work that is normally carried out by language academies – i.e., institutions with state support. In the case of a people without a state, the task of standardising and promoting a language is even more complex. My paper will provide some insight into this huge enterprise.