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Audene Henry
Introduction
Caribbeana is a verdant island with a rich history, having been the home of the
indigenous peoples before infiltration of the British colonizer. At the last census in 2015, the
society, comprising two minority speech communities - an indigenous one which speaks
Akawaio, an Amerindian dialect, and a migrant one which speaks Portuguese; one unofficial
English-based Creole, and the official, language, English. Statistically, 15% speak the
official language, Caribbeana Standard English exclusively; 65% speak the English-based
Creole in varying degrees along the language continuum; 8% speak Akawaio, and 12% speak
Akawaio
8% Caribbeana
Standard English
Portuguese 15%
12%
Caribbeana Creole
65%
Figure 1. Population of Caribbeana. This pie chart illustrates the percentage of speakers of
each language in Caribbeana.
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 3
The Problem
Despite the presence of the varied speech communities, no official language policy
exists to guide the language-use of its citizens. The fact that the country boasts a
bi/multilingual society, has not realized any clear guidelines as to how communication ought
to be conducted. Government business is conducted in the official language, but for more
than sixty-five percent of the population, this is not their primary language of
communication. Because of this, the migrant and indigenous minorities, and the Creole
speech communities are left out of the decision-making at every level of the society, or where
they are included it is only for language tokenism. This lack of clear State guidelines
regarding the direction the linguistic situation must take is mirrored in many more Caribbean
territories resulting in a a fuzzy and undetermined position of language use among the
populace of Caribbeana. Where the problem is compounded is in the education arena, and in
public discourse. Students are instructed in the official language and there is a high level of
illiteracy among school leavers. Further, there exists less than equitable opportunities for
those whose mother tongue is not the official language. These prevailing problems
Rationale
Several tenets of linguistic and language rights foreground the creation of this policy
regarding the language situation in Caribbeana. The United Nations Linguistic Rights
advocates that:
must be recognition of the fact that several Caribbean nation states are polyglot and that in
matters of public administration, socioeconomic, education, and culture that the linguistic
With a total of 7,092 living languages still existing, and the declining of languages
yearly (Ethnologue, 2018), it is imperative that we provide every opportunity for our citizens
to use their multi-linguistic repertoire in the conduct of their everyday lives. For far too long,
there have been language impositions that constrain natives’ use of their mother tongue.
Further, availing the education process through the medium of the students’ first language
guarantees that more students will become literate, first, in their mother-tongue, and then, in
the national language. The ICCLR (2011) states that instruction using this medium is crucial,
Establishing this policy is a guarantee that there would be equal opportunity for every
marginalized in the conduct and performance of their day-to-day lives because of a difference
in their medium of communication. This language policy also ensures that language
The multilingual situation that exists in Caribbeana stems from culture and migration.
Each language serves a specific function and has unique structures. English Language, the
official language of Caribbeana employs some features of the British English that makes it
mutually intelligible, however it is different from the British standard. It gained the official
status in 1987 under the Caribbeana Language Act. The indigenous language, Akawaio
spoken by the Amerindians who inhabited the island is spoken by a small population that
historically was encouraged to adopt English and many began to speak Caribbeana Creole.
The government of Caribbeana instituted an Akawaio village for the few Amerindians who
survived the genocide following colonisation by Europeans. Despite the effort, the villagers
struggled to keep their culture alive. The migrant language, Portuguese was introduced in
1972, when the first group arrived. It is mainly spoken by persons living on the northwestern
enslavement. It is a mixture of African languages and the European language. The structure
of Caribbeana Creole is similar to English in terms of syntax however the phonology (accent)
and morphology is quite unique. The attitude of many towards the Creole language forced
speakers to try to adopt the official language. This has created a creole continuum where a
The majority of the island’s populous will choose the language based on the social
arena. This lends to a diglossic situation. The indigenous language, Akawaio is used by elders
in the village, however they switch to Caribbeana Standard English or Caribbeana Creole
while transacting business outside the village, the same can be said for the Caribbeana
Portuguese. Those who speak English, mostly switch to Caribbean Creole when speaking to
members of other speech communities who may not understand them or are perceived of a
Language Rights
preservation of its citizens’ rights. Linguistic rights are “a series of obligations on state
authorities to either use certain languages in a number of contexts, or not interfere with the
linguistic choices and expressions of private parties” (United Nations Special Rapporteur on
Minority Issues, 2017). As such, the following international conventions will guide the
1. Charter of the United Nations (Article 1.3) which enshrines fundamental freedoms
regardless of language.
3. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 2) (Article 26) (Article
which suggests how multilingual societies can meet the linguistic needs of all groups in
6. Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights (Article 3) (Article 17) (Article 20) which
ensure the right to use one's own language and have it taught, used on official documents and
in Courts of Justice.
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 8
The policy recognizes that Caribbeana has a multilingual situation with the spoken
languages being Caribbeana Creole, Caribbeana Standard English, Portuguese and Akawaio.
As in many Creole speaking societies, the majority of the population speaks Creole but
Standard English has specific communicative functions such as in official and government
documents and is the means of education (Valez, 1996). The policy seeks to ensure that all
languages in the country are protected, and the speakers are afforded every opportunity to use
both in all communicative contexts. Historically, the Creole has been stigmatised as
associated with lack of education, grammatical incorrectness and low socioeconomic status.
The minority languages were seen as providing limited opportunities of social and economic
advancement due to the small number of Akawaio speakers and the pressure to assimilate
1999, p. 271) reflects that “the greatest of the crimes of the colonizers is to convince the
The position of this policy seeks to create “compensatory treatment aimed at restoring
Caribbean, Article 2.2). These historical attitudes have changed and Creole is viewed as a
symbol of identity (Ministry of Education, Youth & Culture, 2001). The same can be said for
the minority languages, where its speakers are attempting to prevent language death and
language endangerment. As such, the following language rights are guaranteed by the State:
1. The State recognises all four languages used in Caribbeana: the official language:
English, the Creole language: Caribbeana Creole, the indigenous language: Akawaio and
2. The State furthermore acknowledges that the recognition of languages is not static
and others may be recognised based on the future linguistic reality of Caribbeana.
replace their language with any other language. Caribbeana Creole is the first language of
the majority of the population, Akawaio and Portuguese are used by minorities in
4. All languages are part of the linguistic and cultural heritage of Caribbeana and will
programmes to achieve language maintenance will be afforded all resources to ensure its
Creole as a separate language from Standard English, and will not treat Creole as an
6. The deaf and blind communities will have access to all communicative and
all forms of media, must have versions in all languages in Caribbeana. As Caribbeana
Creole and Akawaio do not have a standardised written form, all information from
governmental and non-governmental bodies in all forms of media must have versions in
the Creole and Akawaio, in addition to Caribbeana English and Portuguese. This a policy
similar to monoliterate bilingualism where two languages are used orally but literacy is
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 10
taught in one, in this case the official language (Craig, 1980). In the case of Caribbeana,
literacy will be taught in English and Portuguese while simultaneously, the oral use of
schools cannot discriminate against language. The language of instruction is the language
used to deliver the curriculum (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
and no language should be used exclusively. The minority languages will be offered in all
schools for study as both part of the national curriculum and extracurricular study.
9. All speakers have a right to the services of professionals who understand and can
and finance. Governmental and private enterprises must retain staff with competence in
all languages of Caribbeana. Exclusive use of the official language will limit participation
in such institutions and denies citizens economic and social opportunities (Devonish,
1986)
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 11
This policy’s implementation has impact for specific groups within Caribbeana.
These major entities are the public and private education sector, the judicial system, the
administrative sector comprising both local and state government, religious leaders, the
health sector, and the broadcast media. Major stakeholders in education identified are The
Ministry of Education, The Caribbeana Teachers’ Union and the National Parent-Teacher
Association. The Ministry of Legal Affairs, The Law Association, Ministry of Health,
Caribbeana Medical Practitioners’ Association, and Bankers’ Association will represent some
interests of the government, judiciary, financial sector and health sector. The Inter-Religious
Organisation, Ministry of Information and Media Workers Union are the the stakeholders
The views of this policy reflect the language community of Caribbeana, specifically,
the indigenous minority group, the migrant minority group, the Creole-speaking community,
and the official language group. The indigenous, or first people of the country will have
equal opportunity to participate in nation building, and their fear of language death would be
allayed. Through the policy, the migrant population will have opportunities for language
assimilation or bilingualism, but not one that would incur language loss. For the Creole-
speaking community, the policy lends credence to their mother-tongue, thereby making it an
established and recognizable one. It removes the stigmatization presently associated with the
language, and it cultivates a more positive attitude among its speakers. and those who once
condemned it such as the Caribbeana Teachers Union, and the Caribbeana Chamber of
Public Discourse
It is pivotal that multilingual societies inaugurate guidelines for the use of language in
communication within the country must have stipulations as this will prevent a haphazard
society, which can be a tedious task. The roles of the minority languages, creole language and
the official language must be distinguished to create an orderly society while maintaining
cultural and linguistic heritage. Traditionally, it was the official language that was geared
towards public discourse however societies, all over the world today are moving towards
businesses and all other affairs dealing with public discourse. The sentiment of this approach
is shared by Hamel (2005) who opines that, “all languages are of utmost importance and
The media plays crucial roles in promoting the language whether through
situation of any society should be reflected through the mass media system” (p. 1069).
Newspapers, radio, magazines, television or official Caribbeana website must cater to all
residents despite their linguistics affiliation. All programmes must be disseminated in the
official language, the creole language and the two minority languages. Newspapers and
magazines across the island must be written in all four languages. Radio Caribbeana, the only
radio station on the island, must establish language channels for each language spoken and
the time allocation must be the same despite the language. Television Caribbeana, however
cannot facilitate the same time allotment for language programs due to the strong
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 13
globalization effects on the island’s television programs. The majority of the programmes are
adopted from international sources and thus the number of programmes created in the creole
and minority languages are quite inferior to the official language. Television Caribbeana,
therefore must broadcast at least thirty hours of each minority language, and thirty hours of
the creole language and seventy eight hours for programmes in the official language, for the
week. Movie theatres must show one movie written in each minority language or creole
language for every two movies written in the official language. Kuo, “further explains that
the media system is a powerful institutions of language maintenance,” (p. 1067) and thus
policymakers believe that it is vital for media personnel to adhere to language regulations.
official documents for parliament although prepared in the official language, and a language
bureau will be provided to interpret the document in the minority of Creole language since
there is no written form for those languages .This does not, by any means, take away the
official status of any language. The official standard language serves a role of communicating
in formal settings. Carrington (1988) confirms that the official language should be used for
as a guide, policymakers are of the opinion that formal business conducted by government
officials, outside of the country must be done in the official language’ however in special
clientele, that language initiated can be utilized. This is to minimize communication barriers
The judicial system is one place where people must be comfortable to explain their
issues, and as such all four languages should be allowed. Mako (2016) affirms that “language
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 14
is significant when justifying legal rights and obligations on a supranational level”, (p. 76).
Where the judge or legal counsel is not fluent in the language chosen by the individual, an
For administrative, health and other public services, all languages must be employed.
Policymakers have noted that failure to provide services in a language the client understands
Issues (2017). In the following statement, “it would be discriminatory in international law to
forbid the use of a minority language and impose the use of the official language in
administrative and other public services”. It is on this premise that all languages should be
employed.
The Creole language is important in passing on the culture in society and thus its use
must not be understated. The use of Creole is encouraged for casual, more informal setting
such as talking to a group of friends at a party. Carrington (1988) confirms this in his
statement, “Creole vernaculars are media for folk communication, oral tradition, unofficial
activity and private interaction”. However, policymakers will not stipulate the language that
should be used in informal situation. Instead, any of the four languages can be utilized in
Caribbeana. This is in part due to the influences of the remnants of colonialism and
multiculturalism. These explicable influences have uniquely affected the use of language in
education vis-à-vis the Caribbeana context. Zedana, et al ( 2013) have acknowledged that
language plays a vital role in not only communicating but in the processes of teaching and
learning and acquiring knowledge. They have further posited that there is a comprehensive
relationship between language and education simply because linguistics is used to deliver and
acquire knowledge.
What is worthy of note is that most Caribbean countries have at least two predominant
languages that are used by the population. As noted earlier, four language situations exist in
Paugh (2014) explains that the Caribbean is a linguistic paradox because in most cases in the
Anglophone countries English is the official language (being used in all educational and
governmental institutions). However, the population generally uses “Patwa” or Creole for all
other functions. This is true for the present language situation in Caribbeana. Nonetheless, the
policy makers have recognised the disparity that teaching and acquiring formal education in
the standard variety has caused in the entire education process. For instance, the textbooks
used are printed in Standard English and the teacher uses a “language variety that is not the
first language for the Caribbean learner” (Blackman & Conrad, 2017, p.76) to deliver
instructions. This situation has created a learning inequality among the students who are
highly competent in reading and writing Standard English and those with weaker
competencies. Therefore, the language policy in Caribbeana submits that learners be taught
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 16
in their first language as it is believed that children who are taught in their mother tongue first
show great improvement in literacy skills (Rigaud, 2016). Expectantly, this will give
students a chance to express themselves through writing or speaking using their minority
While the Creole language is essential to the country’s cultural distinctiveness and
development ( Paugh, 2014), this is not evident in the classrooms in Caribbeana since no
accommodations are made for students who are not fluent with Standard English. Hence,
students whose first language is not Standard English are at an academic disadvantage.
Paugh (2014) has strongly articulated that Creole and Standard English should be the
languages used in education. As such, the state of Caribbeana official language policy is
submitting that all four languages be used in education institution across the island. For this
training in the use of the four languages. Additionally, teaching and learning tools such as
textbooks, software for tablets and computers and educational resources (curriculum/syllabus,
education determines academic achievements. This is also a belief of Blackman and Conrad
(2017) who alluded that language is a significant factor in whether students who seek to
acquire knowledge in the classroom succeed or fail. Language in this scenario create a
division between the high achievers and the low achievers. In education there is academic
language that is based on the specific subject’s vocabulary, grammatical forms, structure and
teaching”. For the most part the academic language taught in Caribbeana is scripted using the
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 17
Standard English and examining bodies such as CXC and CAPE demand the use of the
Standard variety. Again, the students who are versed in the standard variety are becoming
the high achievers while those who struggle with Standard English are perceived as low
achievers. In light of this, Caribbeana’s official language policy is proposing that each
citizen be exposed to language instruction in his or her first language and not just the
Standard variety. As was established earlier education in the mother tongue supports quality
improvement in literacy (Rigaud, 2016). Rigaud also believed that children who learn to read
in their mother tongue are usually able to transfer these skills to a second language later in
life. Hence, it is the policy makers’ hope that the enactment of this policy gives Caribbeana’s
students the necessary skills needed to learn the standard variety. As a result, the percentage
prevailing socio-cultural perception of the community. Gee (2012) has argued that the
schools in the respective communities determine the language use by the students; this he
referred to as “school literacy.” The language use in education is reflective of the social and
cultural norms of that community. Minority languages are seen as providing insufficient
language policy acts on the premise that education must help to foster capacity for linguistic
cultural self expression of the communities of the territory (ICCLR, 2011). Therefore,
Caribbeana’s language policy is advancing that opportunities will be provided for teaching
children from the minority and Creole communities, their own language and culture.
speak Standard English and 65 % speak the Creole language. The policy will aim to
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 18
implement co-curricular and extracurricular classes to teach Akawaio and Portuguese, while
in the educational system in Caribbeana; these factors are at the forefront as policy makers
make a deliberate and organised effort to put the aforementioned policies in place.
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 19
Policy Implementation
countries have developed language policies to assist with the discrepancies that exist between
the mother-tongue language, minority languages and the official Standard Language. The
facts presented earlier in this policy on language rights, public discourse and language use in
education were the genesis of the bi/multilingual language policy proposed for Caribbeana.
The implementation will be conducted in yearly phases using the top-down and bottom-up
model which will encompass critical areas such as education, government entities, religious
institutions and the media. The first phase of implementation involves education and
government institutions while the second phase includes interest groups and the media.
In the sphere of education the governing body, the Ministry of Education (MOE),
undertakes the implementation of the policy by focusing on critical areas such as curriculum
the government executes policy proposals in the area of the judiciary, parliament and other
vital government organisations that are utilised daily by the citizenry of Caribbeana.
Furthermore, the religious groups and media fraternity within each geographical boundary
Curriculum modification
school system as well as maintain the significant Creole, the indigenous and the migrant
languages. Since teachers are guided by the curriculum, adjusting the content to suit the
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 20
learners’ level is at the teachers’ discretion. Comfort (1990) referred to the curriculum as a
framework used by educators as a guide. Therefore, in nurturing the ideals of education, the
modified curriculum proposes that one of the strategies to be employed must be Language
This strategy enables students to utilise language in various learning activities across
different subject domains thus providing them with realistic and meaningful experiences.
Additionally, the MOE ensures that the teaching and learning of the four linguistic types
commence at the infant levels using the mother tongue as the vehicle to execute the change.
According to UNESCO (2008), the use of the mother tongue as a base dramatically improves
the learners' fluency in a new language. UNESCO further posited that the mother-tongue
limits any hindrances in expressions thus allowing the learners to express their ideas
confidently.
Other critical aspects of curriculum modification are monitoring and evaluating. The
employment of these criteria guarantees the accomplishment of the stated goals and
The MOE is the body responsible for conducting training and developmental plans for
educational personnel in all four language types. The goal of specialisation in one of the four
languages is just one of the mandates contained in the policy document. Therefore,
professional development workshops, pre-service and in-service training ensure that policy
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 21
administrators, supervisors, and educators, both senior and junior, are well-equipped to
deliver the modernised curriculum efficiently. Ferguson (2006) reiterated that improvement
and revision of teacher training are significant factors. The implementation of training
programmes guarantees that all educators are au courant with the new teaching strategies and
approach to training and development augurs well for the fluent acquisition of the four types
Resource development
The MOE undertakes the development of appropriate resources in all four language
varieties to facilitate the required change necessary. Examples of such resources are new
textbooks, workbooks, charts, educational games, audio tapes and manipulatives in the area
caters to the exact needs of the groups in society thus fostering maintenance and by extension
acquisition of the languages. Ferguson (2006), stated that the suitability of textbooks
influences effective teaching and learning. More so, resource personnel who are competent
and fluent in the minority languages incorporate their experiences and knowledge into the
teaching and learning process. The benefits accrued from the use of appropriate resources are
advantageous. In essence, the policy gears towards inclusivity and equality of all linguistic
groups.
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 22
To facilitate the rapid transfer of information about the proposals voiced in the policy,
the MOE undertakes linguistic awareness campaigns. These campaigns take the form of
bi/multilingual jingles, ads, posters and social media blogs. Equally important, within the
technological age is the use of various electronic media and communication methods which
learners indulge. The objectives of the campaigns are to sensitise and inform the diverse
steps, the MOE formally introduces any one of the language typologies to learners at an early
stage and age across a wide geographical area with minimal complications.
The school and school boards are the catalysts for the implementation of the policy.
They have to orchestrate various methods and approaches to achieve the goals and objectives
of the system. The means of block timetabling, immersion, scaffolding and teachers’
modelling of the intended language outcomes are excellent ways to facilitate change. More
so, classroom practices such as language exchange groups, language day, a phrase or word
day, free writing and the role of the teacher are tantamount to the success of the policy
proposals. School boards also contribute to the process by mandating schools to include a
proficiency aspect in their language assessment kit. In so doing, learners use the opportunity
to demonstrate their learning in a more meaningful and practical way. Further, directives
from the management of the school boards facilitate the use of co-curricular activities to
incorporate relevant aspects of the policy. The positive outcome of such instruction is
Government
parliament, the legal fraternity and all other government associated business. The legislature
allows the parliamentarians to converse in the official language which will be recorded in the
Hansard. Occasionally the unofficial Creole is used to let the viewing public clarify and
In the sphere of the judiciary, the policy mandates the use of the official Standard
Language when cases are presided over; however, where there are discrepancies in language
business embrace linguistic varieties through the use of services that foster inclusiveness and
equity. Access to knowledge, information and services cater to the needs and expectations of
Media
In guiding the successful implementation of the policy, the use of the media is an
excellent selection since it captures a broad audience within the pluralistic society. Kuo
(1978), postulated that utilising media in language implementation yield numerous benefits.
Additionally, synchronised airtime on the radios and televisions garners appreciation for the
existing languages. Furthermore, the print media regulates the publication of articles in the
four language types. This approach indicates to the reading public that all are welcome and
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 24
respected. Vicarious learning of other languages through the use of mass media promotes
Conflict Resolution
In light of historical language attitudes and response to change, some resistance to the
policies outlined in this document is expected. The following steps will be taken to minimise
1. The laying in Caribbeana Parliament of the Linguistic Rights Act (2018) in the next
sitting of the House. This act will lay out the language policy in the spheres of
education and public discourse and will stipulate sanctions by the State on individuals
and organisations who do not respect the language rights of all citizens.
2. The creation of a Language Education Unit within the Ministry of Education. This
unit will monitor and guide the curriculum of all private and public schools at all
levels to ensure quality language instruction and equal opportunities to speakers of all
Caribbeana languages. Members of the public can make reports to this unit if
Education Unit will have its licence revoked to operate in Caribbeana. On the other
hand, administrators of public schools will face disciplinary action under the proposed
3. The establishment of the National Language Service. This service will offer
provisions of the proposed Linguistic Rights Act (2018) is that private firms can
retain internal staff to carry out the se functions. The choice of using the staff is at the
4. The inclusion of linguistic discrimination under the investigative power of the Equal
complaints, conduct a tribunal, pass judgements and impose sanctions in line with
existing legislation. Legal counsel is provided to both defendants and plaintiffs at the
cost of the State, and any part can retain private counsel.
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 26
Implementation Timeline
Table 1
Table showing the implementation timeframe of the language policy for Caribbeana.
Areas Descriptions Timelines
Government Entities Government workers who can speak two Jan 2020
languages fluently will be part of the
Language Unit to facilitate translation.
Interest groups Indigenous groups together with interest and Feb 2020
faith groups will conduct outreach
programmes and consultation with the
population and incarcerated individuals.
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 27
In the state of Caribbeana the optimal set of policies consists of the areas of language
rights, public discourse, education and policy implementation – all related to Caribbeana’s
language; Caribbeana Creole (CC) -mixture of West African and British English, and
Standard Caribbeana English (SCE). In essence, the optimal policies propose that every
citizen of Caribbeana regardless of social status, obtain adeptness in all four languages so
that, over time each language will acquire equivalent status politically and socially.
Initially, the language reform will begin with a reasonable period set for codifying
each of the three unofficial languages, with focus placed on orthography (linguistic systems –
writing systems, dictionaries, and spelling). The standardized writing systems should be
supplied to all educational institutions and made available to the public at a nominal cost. As
Caribbeana’s citizens will have the linguistic right to freely communicate using their
discriminated. Additionally, they have the right to use any/all of the languages at home, and
to engage in festivals, rituals, and other cultural activities regionally and/or nationally. In
education, the curriculum will be modified where language exchange programmes will be put
in place on evenings where citizens will be given an equal opportunity to learn and be taught
about the minority and Creole languages. With regards to training, workshops, pre-service,
in-service and language training the school boards will organise these sessions for teachers, to
ensure all educators are au fait with each language and be proficient to impart knowledge of
the languages effectively. These training workshops will also include the development of
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 28
new textbooks, workbooks, charts and audio books (this is especially for the blind) in the
unofficial languages.
In terms of Public Discourse, all news reports (including print) and other media
communication should be presented in all the varieties. To ensure equity, all four languages
will be used on public signs, and in private and government enterprises; and a receptive
knowledge of the varieties will be required to ensure job placements in the private and public
arenas. In addition, legal documents, monetary currencies and postage stamps will be written
in all varieties, and during court proceeding participants will be allowed to use their preferred
variety and code-switch as they desire. Furthermore, all three varieties will be represented in
parliament. All opening and concluding parliamentary business will be conducted using the
CSE, but representatives will primarily use their respective varieties during parliamentary
Other areas relevant to the language policy that have been outlined.
The language policy designed for Caribbeana took into account government entities, the
education system, the media fraternity and interest and faith-based groups. As stated earlier
in this report and the presentation, the government entities are a myriad of organisations
fostering the implementation of the policy. The penal system of the judiciary, along with the
health sector and the interest and faith-based groups are other areas relevant to the language
Incarcerated individuals within the penal system will belong to all four linguistic groups
from the society. As such, communication problems among the two minority groups, the
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 29
dominant Creole and the official Standard language speakers will exist. Since one of the
objectives of the plan is to foster equity, prison authorities will ensure that the language rights
of the inmates are not violated. Moreover, human-rights groups will lobby for equal
language rights for the inmates. As a result, the Language Unit will utilise the trained
personnel to encourage language acquisition or maintenance within the prison. Likewise, the
employees who are fluent in any of the two languages will assist in translation or
interpretation.
In the sphere of the health sector, all health personnel from the medical doctors to the
pharmacists as well as the ward attendants will have discourse with members of the diverse
linguistic communities. Furthermore, the language policy was not designed to produce an
elite language but to promote equity, solidarity, and cordial communication among the
various groups. Accordingly, health officials who are bi/multilingual will be encouraged to
use their expertise in the language for the better good of all humankind.
Third, the interest and faith-based groups in the society will seek to implement aspects of
the policy through outreach programmes in the community or penitentiary. Since the
congregation of the religious groups will be eclectic, the outreach methods will cater to each
diverse group. The inclusiveness of the policy seeks to embrace all diverse groups in
The comprehensiveness of this policy recognizes the polyglot nature of the Caribbeanese
people, and the need to have inclusivity of every group in every aspect of nationhood in
keeping with the dictates of regional and international bodies on language and linguistic
rights.
LANGUAGE POLICY FOR THE CARIBBEAN 30
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Rigaud, C. (2016). Children Learn Better in their Mother Tongue: Part 2. Retrieved
from: https://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/children-learn-better-their-
mother-tongue-part-2
Velez, J.A. (1996). Proceedings from: Rethinking English in Puerto Rico. University of
Puerto Rico: Piedras.
Zedana, A. M., Adabi Bin Abdul, F., Mouham, K., Yusoff, Y. B., Sirena, N. B., Bin
Mohameda, R., & Tou, S. (2013). The role of language in education: Arabic as case
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Elsevier Ltd.