Comparative Study Of American And Chinese Minority Language Policy

Since1960s, a lot of newly independent countries are faced with many language problems. Linguists start treating language policy and language planning as an independent academic field to study when editing language dictionary for some native languages and processing various language problems. It has become the hot spot in the western linguistics after the1990s. This paper, taking policy as the breakthrough point, comprehensively analyzes Chinese American minority language policy, in combination with the historical background of the various periods, the economic situation, the mainstream consciousness, and evolution, based on some precisely combed related laws, articles, and a large number of literatures. Taking Chinese language policy on Tibetan language and American language policy on Spanish language as examples, the paper is trying to reveal the idea of language as problem, language as rights and language as resource at various stages. It shows that each stage of language policy is closely connected with national interests, in line with the country’s political and economic goals."E Pluribus Unum" of American culture inherently requires America to maintain the consistency of languages and the central status of English. Although American language policy tends to be covert, it still incisively and vividly reflects the mainstream consciousness of English only and the Anglo-Saxon culture only, and also cannot cover its coloniality and assimilation of minority language policy. This unitary policy keeps consistent with the idea of implementing a uni-polar world, and establishing a political and economic hegemony in the world; Chinese language policy tends to be overt, which clearly stipulates that the country is to promote Chinese putonghua, and maintain the development of ethnic minority languages, and develop foreign language education. This pluralistic language policy keeps consistent with the idea of establishing a multi-polar world and conforms to building a socialist harmonious society.In fact, it shows that there is something that should be got rid of in the American minority language policy and there is also a saving grace. American heterogeneity of population makes the mainstream society born with the sense of insecurity on national unity. In addition, the United States commits to maintaining a uni-polar world. The two facets above force it link closely the development of the ethnic minority languages to national security. It can be manifested in two aspects. China’s minority languages themselves are native languages. The traditional Chinese culture of love, harmony, and diversity in unity inherently requires the national policy to be fair and just. However, the article argues that some minority language terms are characterized by "moderate" and their standpoint is not sharp, for they are too abstract, and the practical operability is not strong, with its terms being very suggesting rather than mandatory and standard. In addition, with the rapid development of China’s economy, economy of ethnic areas is relatively backward, so that many ethnic people are willing to move to more economically developed cities, and more and more endangered languages appear gradually. Therefore, this paper argues that China should also comply with the trend, linking closely the development of the ethnic minority languages to national security, social stability, and economic development. Government should protect the diversity of language by combining the situations of language use. For example, it can make a special language policy for minority languages, and other government departments apply themselves to develop economy of ethnic areas, finally the number of going-out population to ensure the sustainable development of the languages.