Language as a problem of development: Ideological debates and comprehensive education in the Philippines

Language fixation in language policy debate is not a matter of course. In fact, it must be reviewed. This paper argues that another effective way to examine language policy is to interrupt language negotiation but first to deal with social development problems at the center of people's social landscape. It discusses three ways of participating in language policy in the Philippine language, education, and social development politics. The first way is to participate in language policy. In other words, the important features of existing language policies are often discussed based on ideological issues. The second way is to re-engage the language policy. This emphasizes the term of policy that was previously held on hold, such as those related to local languages ​​in education. Language policy considers language policy as part of general framework of social development. In other words, we need to pay attention to the specific needs of communities in which the role of language appears. The important thing to note is that the language does not appear to be a fundamental problem to be solved.

Government policies often reflect tensions between ideologies of two different languages ​​- ideologies of languages ​​as resources, problems or rights, and ideologies that treat language as a pluralistic phenomenon. Language-related policies emerging in this context often reflect a compromise between the two ideologies. According to Blommaert and Verschueren, this compromise is often reinterpreted as a single unified ideology, as evidenced by many European societies characterized by homogeneity of language ideology.

Language fixation in language policy debate is not a matter of course. In fact, it must be reviewed. This paper argues that another effective way to examine language policy is to interrupt language negotiation but first to deal with social development problems at the center of people's social landscape. It discusses three ways of participating in language policy in the Philippine language, education, and social development politics. The first way is to participate in language policy. In other words, the important features of existing language policies are often discussed based on ideological issues. The second way is to re-engage the language policy. This emphasizes the term of policy that was previously held on hold, such as those related to local languages ​​in education. The third way is to break out of language policy. Language policy is primarily concerned with language policy as part of the general social development framework.

Language as Development Problem: Ideology Controversy and General Education in the Philippines