*This text is also available in German / Turkish ...* 

We learn/acquire new linguistic resoucrs within the family that we grow up in, as well as in nursery school and school - and later in the vocational training and at the universities. Access to langauges enables us to participate in games, discussions and as a key competence often formal access to educational offers and conrecte benefits. Thus language gives power but can also serve as an exclusionary obstacle: If a person doesn't achieve certain grades they cannot go to a certain secondary school. If a person cannot prove they have specific competences they cannot enter a country or a procedure to achieve residence permit. 

These language regulations are called language policies: Explicit regulations decide which languages are taught in school but also in which language road signs and sign posts are in.

Some examples:

Language policies in the European Union: citizens can turn to authorities in every of the official languages in the EU (right now there are  24) and parlamentarians use those languages to debate. For this a lot of interpreters are deployed. However, internally the administration of the EU 'just' operates in English, French and German as working language and whoever wants to work at the EU should know these languages. Here is an overview

Language policies in Germany: Apart from German there are officially recognized minority languages that have a right to education, road signs or news in their languages: Danish, Fresian, Sorbian and Romanes - moreover, the regional language Low German is recognized. Official information

In particular fields there are further regulations: air traffic controllers and pilots use English globally and even uniform terms for the letters in the alphabet so that there are no misunderstandings. 

Do you want to research about language policies in your school or your surroundings?

Continue reading here!