Download - Language Policy in Switzerland. D. Vitali
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Language Policy in
Switzerland
Study visit on language learning and
teaching methods in a multilingual
country
Berne/ HdK, 02.04.2013
1
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Facts and figures
Constitutional framework
Languages Act
Overview
2
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
The four linguistic regions in Switzerland
Swiss multilingualism
3
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Resident population according to main languages (2010)
Swiss multilingualism
4
65.6
22.8
8.4
0.6
19.9
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
German French Italian Romansh Other languages
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Resident population with non-national languages (2010)
Swiss multilingualism
5
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
The 26 Cantons
Constitutional and administrative structure
6
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
The languages in the Canton of Grisons (2000)
Multilingualism in the Canton of Grisons
7
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Facts and figures
Constitutional framework
Languages Act
Overview
8
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
5th/6th century: gradual colonization by Alemanni (north),
Burgundians (east), Lombards (south)
15th century: Confederation of the thirteen cantons
1798-1803: Helvetic Republic
1803: Act of Mediation
1848: Confederation
Historical development
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Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Constitution of 1848 (revised 1874):
“The three main languages of Switzerland, German, French, and
Italian, are the national languages of Switzerland” (Article 109,
respectively Article 116)
Amendment of Article 116 by referendum in 1938:
“1. German, French, Italian, and Romansh are the national languages
of Switzerland.”
“2. German, French, and Italian are the official languages of the
Confederation.”
Historical development
10
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Historical development
11
National Exhibition 1939: "Schlassamaing cunter minchün chi'ns
attacha! – With all strength and power against all assailants“
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
1985: parliamentary motion Bundi « safeguard of Romansh »
Amendment of Article 116 by referendum in 1996:
“1. German, French, Italian, and Romansh are the national languages of
Switzerland.”
“2. The Confederation and the cantons shall encourage under-standing
and exchange between the language communities.”
“3. The Confederation shall support the measures taken by the cantons of
Grisons and Ticino to safeguard and promote the Romansh and Italian
languages.”
“4. German, French, and Italian are the official languages of the
Confederation. Romansh shall be an official language for Confederal
relations with Romansh speakers.”
Historical development
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Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Art. 4 National languages
The National Languages are German, French, Italian, and Romansh.
Art. 18 Freedom to use any language
The freedom to use any language is guaranteed.
Completely revised Constitution of 1999
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Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Art. 70 Languages
1 The official languages of the Confederation shall be German,
French and Italian. Romansh shall also be an official language of
the Confederation when communicating with persons who speak
Romansh.
2 The Cantons shall decide on their official languages. In order
to preserve harmony between linguistic communities, the Cantons
shall respect the traditional territorial distribution of
languages and take account of indigenous linguistic minorities.
Completely revised Constitution of 1999
14
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Art. 70 Languages
3 The Confederation and the Cantons shall encourage understanding
and exchange between the linguistic communities. 4 The Confederation shall support the plurilingual Cantons in the
fulfillment of their special duties. 5 The Confederation shall support measures by the Cantons of
Graubünden and Ticino to preserve and promote the Romansh and
the Italian languages.
Completely revised Constitution of 1999
15
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Territoriality principle vs. freedom of languages?
Judgment of the Federal Court (138 I 123 of April 26, 2012)
Completely revised Constitution of 1999
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Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
European Charter for Regional or Minority
Languages
Promotion of minority languages
Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities Promotion of national minorities
International legal instruments
17
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Facts and figures
Constitutional framework
Languages Act
Overview
18
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
1996 – 2003: Preparations
1996 – 2001: Preparatory work starts, close collaboration between
Confederation and cantons, creation of a « groupe de travail
paritaire de la Confédération et des cantons pour la préparation
de la loi sur les langues » (PAS)
2001-2003: Consultation of cantons, political parties, comunes,
federal commissions, civil society
2003: Finalisation of the draft on the basis of the results of the
consultation
Genesis of the Language Act
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Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
2004: A decisive year
April 28: The governement rejects the draft legislation with the
followings reasons:
Confederation has already at its disposal the means to achieve the goals
Instructions received from the Parliament to make financial savings
May 7: Parliamentary initiative Levrat 04.429: « Loi fédérale sur
les langues nationales »
Novembre: The two competent commission accept the
parliamentary initiative Levrat
Genesis of the Language Act
20
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
2005 – 2006: Continuation on parliamentary level
Draft legislation by the competent commissions
Transmission to the federal government for statement
Rejection by the federal government
2007: Conclusion of the procedure
June to September: Parliamentary debate
5 Octobre 2007: Adoption of the Federal Act on National
Languages and Understanding between the Language
Communities
Genesis of the Language Act
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Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Language Legislation
22
Federal Constitution
Articles 4, 18 and 70
Languages Act
Implementing Order
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Languages Act and implementing order
23
LLC et OLang
Champs
d’application
Langues officielles
de la
Confédération
Compréhension et
échanges
Cantons
plurilingues Tessin et Grisons
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Example: Use of the official languages
Langues officielles
de la
Confédération
Représentation
linguistique
70% D
22% F
7% It
1% Romanche
Utilisation du
romanche
comme langue
semi-officielle
Délégué au
plurilinguisme
Traduction, langues de
travail et
compétences
linguistiques
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
Example: Competence centre for plurilingualism
Centre de compétence
scientifique de promotion
du plurilinguisme
Centre de documentation
sur le plurilinguisme
Réseau d’institutions
scientifiques
de toutes les régions
linguistiques du pays
Recherche scientifique sur le
plurilinguisme
Plurilinguisme individuel Plurilinguisme institutionnel
et sociétal
Évaluation des compétences
linguistiques
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
26
Budget 2012
Support for the Canton of Grisons for
safeguarding and promoting the Romansh
and Italian languages and cultures
4.7 million CHF
(3.9 million EUR)
Support for the Canton of Ticino for safeguarding
and promoting the Italian language and culture
2.3 million CHF
(1.9 million EUR)
Support for multilingual cantons 1.5 million CHF
(1.2 million EUR)
Support for measure promoting understanding
- Centre of competence for plurilingualism
- Exchanges
- Language tuition in school
- Organisations
- News agencies
4.1 million CHF
(3.4 million EUR)
- 1.5 million CHF
- 1.1 million CHF
- 0.7 million CHF
- 0.6 million CHF
- 0.2 million CHF
Bundesmt für Kultur BAK
Office fédéral de la culture OFC
Ufficio federale della cultura UFC
Uffizi federal da cultura UFC
The Language Act provides a legal framework for ensuring the
equality of the national languages and balanced representation
within the federal authorities. It also makes improvements in
exchanges and understanding, a key element of national
cohesion.
Main current challenges:
Representation of linguistic communities within federal
authorities and government
Teaching of national languages in school
Conclusion
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