keelepoliitikate

Keelepoliitikad, or language policies, are formal rules, laws, and practices that determine how languages are used and supported within a country or organization. They govern official status, education, media, public services, and language rights.

The aims include enabling effective communication, protecting linguistic rights of speakers, promoting literacy, and preserving linguistic diversity. Instruments include official language statutes, language of instruction in schools, public signage, broadcasting quotas, translation services, and language revitalization programs for minority languages.

Scholars classify policies by goals and methods, e.g., assimilationist vs pluralist, top‑down vs participatory approaches, and by domain (education, administration, media). Outcomes are assessed in terms of language vitality, access to public services, and social cohesion, as well as risks of language shift or discrimination.

Historically, many states have adopted language policies as part of nation‑building or regional autonomy. Notable examples include Canada's Official Languages Act, which promotes English and French in federal institutions, and Finland's bilingual arrangements; Estonia's focus on Estonian in public life; and various multilingual regimes in parts of Europe and Africa. Ongoing debates address language rights of minorities, the rise of English as a global lingua franca, and the role of technology in language maintenance.