Horizons of Neutrality for Mapuzugun in Chile? Points of Tension within Revitalization Efforts of a Contemporary Indigenous Language

Abstract

This paper addresses the scope and configuration of Mapuzugun (Mapudungun) language neutrality in the context of contemporary Chile. Since the 2019 social protests and riots (“estallido social”) and the 2022 constitutional drafting process, Mapuche culture and politics have moved to the center of Chile’s concerns. Through a critical sociolinguistic analysis from a glottopolitical perspective, this paper analyzes how the trope of Mapuzugun language neutrality provides evidence of an often-overlooked tension. Such tension lies between the urgency to establish a transparent and accessible language for all audiences, suitable for modern life, and the need to emphasize the specificity and originality of an indigenous identity amidst a vindication process.