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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:A tale of two federations: comparing language rights in South Africa and Ethiopia
Author:Fessha, Yonatan TesfayeISNI
Year:2009
Periodical:African Human Rights Law Journal (ISSN 1609-073X)
Volume:9
Issue:2
Pages:501-523
Language:English
Geographic terms:Ethiopia
South Africa
Subjects:language policy
civil and political rights
multilingualism
Abstract:The success of a federal arrangement in accommodating ethnic diversity cannot be measured solely on the basis of its language rights regime. However, it is generally agreed that a well-designed language rights regime goes a long way in contributing either to the effective reconciliation, unity and diversity or to the eventual polarization of cultural communities. Language rights that mandate the use of different languages by public authorities, the major focus of the article, provide individuals what the principle of non-discrimination cannot provide, namely, the right to obtain government services through the medium of one's language. It is also these language rights that are relevant to the linguistic identity of minorities. Except for the widely-recognized right to use a minority language when required for the purposes of a fair trial and due process, however, most human rights treaties say very little about the use of language by State authorities. The absence of general human rights treaties that contain provisions on the use of language by State authorities raises the issue of States' response to the use of language for the purposes of government. This article focuses on the challenges of adopting an inclusive language policy in multilingual States. Using two case studies, South Africa and Ethiopia, it examines the different policy alternatives for accommodating linguistic communities. Notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract, edited]
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