Colonialism and re-imaging minority language management

摘要

This paper provides some critical commentary on the article in this issue by H. Batibo. It suggests that a post-colonial critique of language and nationalism needs to re-examine the foundational assumptions regarding the role of language in the construction of the nation-State, in particular that nation-States correspond to authentic languages, identities and groups. Failing to do so risks reproducing systems of inequality and exclusion.