Language Policy and Planning in ASEAN Countries - Myanmar.pptx

Language Policy and Planning in ASEAN Countries - Myanmar.pptx

1. Language policy and planning in asean countries: Myanmar Unit III Joanna M. Noveno

2. Learning contents Language Profile National, Official, and Indigenous Language Language Planning and Language Policy Historical Context Language-in-Education Policy Issues and Problems 2

3. Language Profile of Myanmar

4. Language Profile National Language: Burmese - belong to the Tibeto-Burman subfamily of Sino-Tibetan languages. Spoken by three quarters of the population. Official Language/s: Burmese and English - compulsary subjects in schools and colleges. Indigenous Languages: Myanmar has many indigenous languages, including: Shan, Karen, Arakanese, Jingpho , (or Kachin), Mon, Tamil, Chin, and Rakhine. 4

5. Language Profile Myanmar is the most linguistically diverse nation in mainland Southeast Asia, with the most languages, the most recognized ethnic groups and the second highest proportion of the population with a minority language mother tongue. 5

6. Historical Context

7. 1. Colonial Period Colonial Period (1824–1948): Under British rule, English was the dominant language in administration, education, and trade. Indigenous languages, including Burmese and ethnic minority languages, were marginalized, though Burmese remained the lingua franca for many communities. Ethnic minority languages were often relegated to informal and local use. 7

8. 2. Post-Independence Era Post-Independence Era (1948–1962): After gaining independence, Burmese (Myanmar) was established as the official language to foster national unity. Minority languages continued to have limited roles in public life, creating tension among ethnic groups who felt excluded from the national identity. 8

9. 3. Military Rule Military Rule (1962–2011): A strict language policy emphasized the use of Burmese in education, administration, and media. This led to the suppression of minority languages and cultures, causing resentment among ethnic communities. Efforts to teach minority languages in schools were limited and highly regulated. 9

10. 4. Contemporary Period Contemporary Period (2011–present): The political liberalization process has brought some positive changes, including greater recognition of ethnic rights. However, challenges remain in creating inclusive language policies that balance the needs of the diverse population with national unity. 10

11. Language planning and language policy

12. Current Language policy

13. 1. Official language Burmese is the sole official language of Myanmar. It is the primary medium of instruction in schools and the main language of government and legal systems. 13

14. 1. Official language The language has diglossia: there is a very conservative written High which has been fairly stable since the mid-13th century, with ongoing changes in pronunciation but very little change in writing; there is also a spoken standard Low based on the cultivated speech of Mandalay, the last royal capital, and Yangon, the current capital. 14

15. 2. Ethnic minority languages Ethnic groups have advocated for greater recognition of their languages. Some ethnic languages are used in local schools and cultural practices, but there is no formalized support for bilingual or multilingual education at the national level. The teaching of minority languages is often limited to extracurricular activities or informal community efforts 15

16. 3. Language in media Burmese dominates state-run and private media, though some ethnic-language programs exist, especially in regions with significant ethnic minority populations.Social media and local radio stations have emerged as platforms for promoting minority languages. 16

17. Language in education policy

18. Education policy Myanmar’s education system primarily uses Burmese, which creates a barrier for students whose first language is not Burmese. In some areas, ethnic language instruction has been introduced at the primary school level, but implementation is inconsistent. The curriculum rarely includes minority languages as subjects, and textbooks in these languages are scarce. 18

19. Education policy Mother-Tongue Education Since independence in 1948, Myanmar has had three constitutions: 1947, 1974 and 2008. In each of these Myanmar/Burmese is recognized as the official and national language; literary High Myanmar/Burmese was the sole language of education and much of formal usage from 1948 until quite recently. 19

20. Education policy Mother-Tongue Education The 1974 constitution provides for some supplementary use of other indigenous languages, and the 2008 constitution, the 2014 education law and the 2015 ethnic rights law provide for the introduction of mother tongue education in all ethnic languages. 20

21. Education policy Mother-Tongue Education Problems arising include lack of materials, teachers and resources, and in some cases lack of an agreed standard written or spoken variety. Thus a great deal of language policy and planning work is now being done at the local level within many ethnic groups. 21

22. Challenges in Language Policy

23. Ethnic Tensions: Language policy has been a source of ethnic conflict, as many ethnic groups view the dominance of Burmese as a threat to their cultural identity. The lack of meaningful support for minority languages exacerbates feelings of exclusion and marginalization. 23

24. Ethnic Tensions: Language policy has been a source of ethnic conflict, as many ethnic groups view the dominance of Burmese as a threat to their cultural identity. The lack of meaningful support for minority languages exacerbates feelings of exclusion and marginalization. 24

25. Ethnic Tensions: There is a strong tendency to concentrate efforts at the state level on the language of the largest group in that state, notably Jinghpaw Kachin in the Kachin State, Mon in the Mon State, Shan in the Shan State and Sgaw Karen in the Kayin State. For the Chin and Kayah states, the state name is derived from a collective Myanmar term for the groups of that state, which include many distinct groups speaking related but distinct languages, and there is no single language that can be used as a state-wide local lingua franca. 25

26. Resource limitations The development of teaching materials and teacher training programs for minority languages is underfunded. Standardizing scripts and orthographies for some languages remains a challenge. 26

27. summary Myanmar's language policy reflects ongoing tensions between national integration and cultural diversity. While there has been some progress in recognizing the importance of ethnic languages, more comprehensive and inclusive policies are needed to address the linguistic rights of all communities. 27

28. Thank you Joanna M. Noveno