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English-Only Language Policy: The Road to Provincialism? Cover
Open Access
|Oct 2016

Abstract

In this note, we outline various possible long-run effects of an English-only acquisition policy in the European Union. The point of departure is how individual behaviour adapts to constraints in the environment. This leads to changes in collective behaviour, which becomes part of the environment, again influencing individual behaviour. Possible equilibria of this feedback mechanism are discussed. It is argued that domain loss and diglossia may result. The process is further characterized by external effects. Looking at language knowledge as a merit good, path dependencies and multiple stable equilibria can be explained.

Language: English
Page range: 71 - 76
Published on: Oct 26, 2016
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 2 issues per year

© 2016 Bengt-Arne Wickström, published by Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.