TY - JOUR
T1 - Ethnic minority language policies and practices in China
T2 - revisiting Ruiz’s language orientation theory through a critical biliteracy lens
AU - Yao, Jiazhou
AU - Turner, Marianne
AU - Bonar, Gary
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - In order to distinguish between language-related ideologies, Ruiz (1984) proposed three language orientations, namely ‘language-as-problem’, ‘language-as-right’ and ‘language-as-resource’. Although this typology has been applied to various countries and regions around the globe, relevant research in China, a multi-ethnolinguistic country, remains limited. Through a review of China’s minority language policies and relevant literature, this paper explores the application of Ruiz’s theory to the context of China and proposes two possible directions which can complement this theory. Firstly, the study found that there are different layers, complexities, and even contradictions under a broad/unified language orientation, and that minority languages can be simultaneously positioned as a ‘right’, a ‘resource’ and a ‘problem’. Secondly, by investigating a particular ethnic minority language (the Nuosu Yi language), the study found that the written (literacy) and spoken (oracy) skills of the language can be positioned differently in language-in-education policies and practices. We therefore propose that a critical ‘biliteracy continua’ lens (Hornberger 2004) can provide further analytical nuance to the language orientations put forward by Ruiz (1984).
AB - In order to distinguish between language-related ideologies, Ruiz (1984) proposed three language orientations, namely ‘language-as-problem’, ‘language-as-right’ and ‘language-as-resource’. Although this typology has been applied to various countries and regions around the globe, relevant research in China, a multi-ethnolinguistic country, remains limited. Through a review of China’s minority language policies and relevant literature, this paper explores the application of Ruiz’s theory to the context of China and proposes two possible directions which can complement this theory. Firstly, the study found that there are different layers, complexities, and even contradictions under a broad/unified language orientation, and that minority languages can be simultaneously positioned as a ‘right’, a ‘resource’ and a ‘problem’. Secondly, by investigating a particular ethnic minority language (the Nuosu Yi language), the study found that the written (literacy) and spoken (oracy) skills of the language can be positioned differently in language-in-education policies and practices. We therefore propose that a critical ‘biliteracy continua’ lens (Hornberger 2004) can provide further analytical nuance to the language orientations put forward by Ruiz (1984).
KW - China
KW - ethnic minority language
KW - language orientation
KW - Language policy
KW - Yi ethnic group
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85126669378&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01434632.2022.2050915
DO - 10.1080/01434632.2022.2050915
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85126669378
SN - 0143-4632
VL - 45
SP - 2400
EP - 2411
JO - Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
JF - Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
IS - 7
ER -