Language Rights And Minority Language Protection In Transition Countries Of Central And Eastern Europe

The discussion of language rights is increasingly recognized as a new paradigm approaching language issues by sociolinguistic studies in the West, especially in the field of language policy and language planning. This new paradigm seems to be of particular importance in the European context, exerting fundamental influences on the legal frameworks and managing practices concerning minority languages in transition countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The current study employs an analyzing framework developed on the basis of "Language Management Theory", a theory of language planning with European origin. Following this approach, we presented a depiction and analysis of the language rights management mechanisms at national level of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, explored how government management affects the realization of language rights, and also how such rights affect the vitality of minority languages, so as to examine the significance of language rights approach for minority languages protection.The analysis shows that the language rights management mechanism can be divided into three relatively independent parts, namely the human rights, the minority rights and the language management mechanisms. The three above mentioned countries all developed a comprehensive mechanism that mainly relies on the national minority rights management system, though not without difference. The newly developed mechanisms are the result of the change of power relations between the national governments and super-national organizations and also the national minorities within the country borders, which is caused by the political and economic transitions towards the West. Generally speaking, the three countries now provide more language rights to minority peoples compared to the pre-transition period, meanwhile all have established more effective channels for interactions and negotiations between macro and micro level managements. Under the new mechanisms, the minority groups are getting a higher degree of realization of language rights, and a better chance of developing their languages. However, not all the groups have obtained enough resources to get their language rights realized, and almost all the languages are suffering from covert assimilation and gradual decline.Our analysis reveals that government management can provide room for the realization of language rights, at least in legal terms; but as the total amount of resources is limited, different minority groups may enjoy the rights at different levels depending on their will and ability of obtaining resources; the legal fulfilment of language rights is a prerequisite for language survival but is not a guarantee for its lasting vitality.The practices of the above mentioned three countries can enrich the theoretical explorations in the fields of language policy and language rights study. The introduction of the concept of rights will convert Language Management Theory to a "Language Governance" theory which may then lead to a "Governance" type protection of minority languages which recognizes more diverse interests, respect more private participants, and rely more on multilateral negotiations.