Políticas lingüísticas en Colombia: tensiones entre políticas para lenguas mayoritarias y lenguas minoritarias

Abstract

This paper seeks to analyze current Colombian linguistic policies and examine the extent to which the proclamation of bilingualism in the country can be declared. Although a clear and marked policy on English-Spanish bilingualism exists, it can be argued that it has not successfully achieved its goals. It can also be argued that it has generated negative tensions with regard to the situation of bilingualism in minority languages. This hypothesis is supported by four central arguments. Firstly, by the fact that some official documents look at bilingualism from a reductionist perspective, ignoring the linguistic variety of the country. Secondly, policies for majority languages generate a classification phenomenon, which is opposed to the concept of equal recognition of minority languages. Thirdly, linguistic policies generate a phenomenon in which a marketization of language teaching is produced. Finally, from the root of the said policies, comes a phenomenon of disconnection between the types of bilingual education that are developed for majority and minority languages. To arrive at the stated hypothesis, a critical reading of the Colombian linguistic policies was done. Furthermore, the problems posed by this situation are exemplified with the San Andres Creole, the minority language of the country. The article ends by affirming that in Colombia it is not possible to speak about a National Bilingual Program, but rather of the promotion of English as a foreign language. This promotion does not consider the situation of language contact in the country, especially the contact between English Creole and Spanish. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]