�

The Tr ea t y o f L i ngu i s t i cUn i on i n t he Du t ch LanguageAr eaRo l and W i l l emyns*

The Du t ch speak i ng pa r t o f Be l g i um (ove r 60% o f

t he na t i on ' s popu l a t i on ) and Ho l l and , wh i ch have been

po l i t i ca l l y sepa r a t ed f or 3 cen t ur i es now (w i t h a shor t

pe r i od o f r eun i f i ca t i on f rom 1814 t o 1830) con t i nue t o

cons t i t u t e one l anguage commun i t y . To m i n i m i ze t he

unavo i dab l e l i ngu i s t i c d i sadvan t ages o f t h i s po l i t i ca lsp l i t , con t i nuous e f f or t s have been made on bo t h s i des ,

t he mos t spec t acu l a r o f wh i ch i s undoub t ed l y t he

" Tr ea t y o f L i ngu i s t i c Un i on " (Taa l un i eve rdr ag )r ecen t l y conc l uded be t ween bo t h na t i ons . The Tr ea t ywas s i gned i n 1980 by t he K i ng o f t he Be l g i ans and t he

Queen o f t he Ne t he r l ands bu t on l y f u l l y i mp l emen t eda f ew mon t hs ago w i t h t he i ns t a l l a t i on o f t he " Counc i lo f t he Du t ch Language and L i t e r a t ur e . " I t can becons i de r ed a un i que expe r i men t i n i n t e rna t i ona l

l i ngu i s t i c r e l a t i ons , w i t h i mp l i ca t i ons beyond t he so l ei n t e r es t o f t he t wo coun t r i es i nvo l ved , and a sour ce o f

i nsp i r a t i on , pe rhaps even a mode l f or o t he r l anguagecommun i t i es spr ead ove r seve r a l coun t r i es . Th i s pape rI � i s i n t ended t o d i scuss t he con t en t s as we l l as t heeven t ua l e f f ec t s o f t h i s t r ea t y . ' .Po l i t i ca l Scope

A l t hough t he Tr ea t y was s i gned by t he K i ng and t hena t i ona l gove rnmen t i t on l y a f f ec t s pa r t o f t he Be l g i anpopu l a t i on , v i z . t he Du t ch speak i ng i nhab i t an t s , l oca t edi n t he nor t he rn pa r t o f t he coun t r y ( F l ande r s ) . I t i st he r e f or e t he F l em i sh s t a t e- gove rnmen t and no t t hena t i ona l Be l g i an gove rnmen t wh i ch i s o f f i c i a l l y cha rgedw i t h and r espons i b l e f or t he f ur t he r deve l opmen t o f

Tr ea t y ma t t e r s . I n Ho l l and , on t he o t he r hand , t hewho l e o f t he popu l a t i on i n conce rned and t he na t i ona l

gove rnmen t i s t he r espons i b l e pa r t y .By f a r t he mos t r ema r kab l e t h i ng abou t t he Tr ea t y

i s t he l ega l s t a t us o f t he Taa l un i e , i . e . t he who l e o f

po l i t i ca l , adm i n i s t r a t i ve and sc i en t i f i c i ns t i t u t i onsc r ea t ed by t he Tr ea t y . The Tua l un i e i s an i n t e rna t i ona l

body , t o wh i ch bo t h gove rnmen t s have de l ega t ed wha ta r e usua l l y cons i de r ed t o be t he i r own pr e roga t i ves , i . e .t o dec i de au t onomous l y on l i ngu i s t i c and cu l t ur a la f f a i r s . Consequen t l y bo t h gove rnmen t s a r e no l onge rr espons i b l e f or and can no l onge r i n t e r f e r e w i t h t hema t t e r s wh i ch a r e now unde r t he j ur i sd i c t i on o f t he

supr ana t i ona l Taa l un i e .

I n t he f i e l d o f i n t e rna t i ona l l aw t he s t a t us o f t he

P Tao l un i e i s ve r y much s i m i l a r t o t ha t o f t he EuropeanCommun i t y , mean i ng t ha t a l t hough r epr esen t a t i ves o ft he d i f f e r en t coun t r i es a r e i nvo l ved , dec i s i on - mak i ng i s

*The au t hor i s a pro f essor o f l i ngu i s t i cs a t t he Vr i j e t Jn i ve r s i t e i t o f

Brusse l s .

t he pr e roga t i ve o f t he i n t e rna t i ona l body i t se l f and i t sdec r ees a r e compu l sor y f or eve r y membe r - s t a t e . Thef ac t t ha t t he Taa l un i e momen t a r i l y cons i s t s o f on l y t wos t a t es2 does no t a f f ec t i t s supr ana t i ona l s t a t us . To

my know l edge t h i s i s t he on l y i nc i dence o f such ani n t e rna t i ona l body i n t he f i e l d o f l anguage , l i t e r a t ur eand cu l t ur e . , " .

Organ i za t i ona l S t ruc t ur e

To be ab l e t o assume t he r espons i b i l i t i es a t t r i bu t ed t o

i t , t he Taa l un i e cons i s t s o f t he f o l l ow i ng i ns t i t u t i ons :

on t he po l i t i ca l l eve l :a comm i t t ee o f m i n i s t e r s , compr i s i ng m i n i s t e r s o fbo t h coun t r i es , wh i ch ho l ds t he execu t i ve powe r o ft he Taa l un i e

and a pa r l i amen t a r y comm i ss i on , compr i s i ngmembe r s o f pa r l i amen t o f bo t h coun t r i es , ac t i ng as

t he l eg i s l a t i ve componen t

on t he adm i n i s t r a t i ve l eve l :

a Sec r e t a r y Gene r a l wh i ch i s t he bur eauc r acy o ft he Taa l un i e , en t rus t ed w i t h t he i mp l emen t a t i on o ft he dec i s i ons o f t he execu t i ve , l eg i s l a t i ve andsc i en t i f i c bod i es

on t he sc i en t i f i c l eve l :

a " Counc i l f or Du t ch Language and L i t e r a t ur e , "

compr i s i ng 45 membe r s compe t en t i n a t l eas t oneo f t he f o l l ow i ng d i sc i p l i nes : l i ngu i s t i cs , norma t i ve

l anguage use , l i t e r a t ur e , t r ans l a t i on ; educa t i on ,

ed i t i ng , l i br a r i es , t hea t r e , c i nema , pr ess , r ad i o ,t e l ev i s i on . The Counc i l i s supposed t o adv i se t heComm i t t ee o f M i n i s t e r s wheneve r asked , bu t i s a l soen t i t l ed t o make sugges t i ons o f i t s own wheneve r i tehoses t o do so .

The i mpor t an t t h i ng now i s t o know i n wh i ch ma t t e r st he Taa l un i e has t aken ove r t he au t hor i t y o f bo t h

gove rnmen t s and wh i ch pr ac t i ca l means i t has been

gr an t ed t o ca r r y ou t i t s r espons i b i l i t i es .The comm i ss i on t ha t was g i ven t he t ask o f pr epa r i ng

t he Tr ea t y acknow l edged t ha t " i n t e l l ec t ua l ma t ur i t y i nbo t h coun t r i es and r ecen t deve l opmen t s i n Be l g i anl eg i s l a t i on " ' made t he conc l us i on o f t he Tr ea t yposs i b l e . Accord i ng t o t he Tr ea t y , bo t h gove rnmen t sa i m a t :

" f avor i ng and r e i n f or c i ng , bo t h w i t h r e f e r ence t o

coope r a t i on be t ween t he i r coun t r i es and t o t he i rmu t ua l r e l a t i ons w i t h f or e i gn coun t r i es , t h i s un i t y o f

l anguage and l i t e r a t ur e wh i ch had f or so l ong been

endange r ed by po l i t i ca l sepa r a t i on . "They accoun t f or t he un i que f orm t he Tr ea t y has

t aken by s t a t i ng t ha t , s i nce " un i l a t e r a l dec i s i ons can

on l y be pr e j ud i c i a l "

�

no t on l y shou l d t he r e be acommon po l i cy i n t he f i e l d o f Du t ch l anguage andl i t e r a t ur e bu t , mor e i mpor t an t s t i l l , t h i s po l i cy shou ldbe mu t ua l l y agr eed upon as t he on l y poss i b l e one . "

(Con t i nued on page 6)

Vo l ume 10 " Numbe r 3 " Language P l ann i ng News l e t t e r

�

L j d l

F i e l d Cove r ed by t he Tr ea tyThe Tr ea t y , a r t i c l e 2 a i ms a t " i n t egr a t i ng as f a r as

poss i b l e t he Ne t he r l ands and t he Du t ch speak i ngcommun i t y o f Be l g i um i n t he f i e l d o f t he Du t ch

l anguage and l i t e r a t ur e i n t he broades t sense . " S i nce i nan o f f i c i a l , l ega l t ex t t he r e shou l d be no doub t abou tt he mean i ng o f " t he broades t sense " i t i s s t a t ed t ha t :

" t o t h i s f i e l d be l ong : l anguage and l i t e r a t ur e asob j ec t s o f sc i ence , l i t e r a t ur e as a r t , l anguage as aveh i c l e o f sc i ence , l anguage as a med i um o fl i t e r a t ur e , t he t each i ng o f l anguage and l i t e r a t ur e ,l anguage as a t oo l o f commun i ca t i on . "

The conc l ud i ng pa r t i es mor eove r :" " �

w i sh t o promo t e t he Du t ch l anguage andl i t e r a t ur e and t o s t r ess t he necess i t y t ha t by sodo i ng t he un i t y o f t he l anguage shou l d be t akeni n t o pa r t i cu l a r cons i de r a t i on

" � a i m a t a r espons i b l e use o f t he Du t ch l anguage ,espec i a l l y i n educa t i on and i n o f f i c i a lcommun i ca t i ons . "

Th i s cons t i t u t es a cons i de r ab l e sh i f t o fr espons i b i l i t i es f rom bo t h gove rnmen t s t o t he new l yc r ea t ed i n t e rna t i ona l body , wh i ch mor eove r i s g i vent he ask o f " de t e rm i n i ng a un i f orm t e rm i no l ogy f or

l eg i s l a t i on and o f f i c i a l pub l i ca t i ons . " Th i s i s a ve r y r a r eand de l i ca t e t h i ng t o do . Ra r e because i t se l dom occur st ha t t wo coun t r i es agr ee t o change t e rm i no l ogy wh i chhas been f i xed i n t he cour se o f cen t ur i es ; de l i ca t ebecause j ud i c i a l t e rm i no l ogy i s o f t en r e l a t ed t oi ns t i t u t i ons and cus t oms pecu l i a r t o a g i ven coun t r y .F r equen t l y a change i n t e rm i no l ogy wou l d cause a

change i n t hese i ns t i t u t i ons t hemse l ves . Consequen t l yt he r espons i b i l i t y o f t he Taa l un i e i s enormous s i nce i tcan l eg i s l a t e au t onomous l y i n t hese ma t t e r s and s i ncebo t h coun t r i es have agr eed be f or ehand t o accep ti t s dec i s i ons .

F i na l l y t he Tr ea t y s t r esses t ha t " t he no t i on o f t he

un i t y o f t he Du t ch l anguage and l i t e r a t ur e i s t o bed i f f used . " I n my v i ew , t h i s means t ha t mor e e f f or t s s t i l la r e t o be made t o l eve l l anguage d i f f e r ences on bo t hs i des o f t he borde r . F rom a gene r a l i mpr ess i on i t

shou l d be s t r essed t ha t t he d i sc r epancy be t ween

nor t he rn and sou t he rn r ea l i za t i ons o f S t anda rd Du t chi s by no means l a rge r t han i n s i m i l a r cases o f one

l anguage be i ng spoken i n seve r a l coun t r i es and t ha t ,

qu i t e on t he con t r a r y , I don ' t know o f any l anguagecommun i t y whe r e mor e e f f or t s a r e made i n orde rt o dr aw va r i an t s as c l ose l y t oge t he r as poss i b l e

(W i l l emyns 1981) .

Deve l opmen tThe pr ac t i ca l se t - up o f t he Taa l un i e i ns t i t u t i ons t ook

some t wo yea r s , ma i n l y because o f domes t i c po l i t i ca l

prob l ems i n bo t h t he Du t ch and t he Be l g i angove rnmen t s , t o t a l l y unr e l a t ed t o t he Taa l un i e . The

Sec r e t a r y Gene r a l was t he f i r s t body t o be pu t t o wor k ;

shor t l y t he r ea f t e r t he Comm i t t ee o f M i n i s t e r s (2 f rom

each coun t r y ) and t he Pa r l i amen t a r y Comm i ss i on (5f rom each coun t r y ) began t o f unc t i on and a t t he end o f1983 t he Counc i l f or Du t ch Language and l i t e r a t ur e

was o f f i c i a l l y i ns t a l l ed .We a r e t he r e f or e j us t a t t he ve r y beg i nn i ng o f t h i s

new adven t ur e and i t i s ha rd t o pr ed i c t how t h i ngs a r ego i ng t o deve l op . The i mpu l se anyway w i l l have t ocome f rom t he Counc i l whose t ask i t w i l l be t o se t upand s t i mu l a t e pro j ec t s i n orde r t o accomp l i sh t he bo l dob j ec t i ves se t f or t h i n t he Tr ea t y . Apa r t f rom t heorgan i za t i on o f a b i enn i a l " Con f e r ence on Du t chLanguage and L i t e r a t ur e " i mposed by t he Tr ea t y t ex t ,i t w i l l have t o f i nd ou t ways t o " ach i eve r ecogn i t i on andaccep t ance o f t h i s un i t ( i . e . o f l anguage , l i t e r a t ur e andcu l t ur e ) i n a l l c l asses o f t he popu l a t i on i n t he Nor t h(=Ho l l and ) and i n t he Sou t h (= F l ande r s ) as we l l asbeyond t he f ron t i e r s o f t he Du t ch l anguage a r ea " as t hepr e l i m i na r y s t a t emen t r equ i r es .

As a membe r o f t he boa rd o f t he Counc i l I am i n apos i t i on t o suspec t t ha t t he l a t t e r w i l l be t he f i r s t ma j oramb i t i on o f t he Taa l un i e . Ar t i c l e 5 o f t he Tr ea t y s t a t est ha t " t he conc l ud i ng pa r t i es w i l l common l y f ur t he r ororgan i ze t he t each i ng o f t he Du t ch l anguage .abroad " and t ha t t hey w i l l " encour age abroad t hed i f f us i on o f Du t ch l i t e r a r y produc t s . " The r e f or e I amconv i nced a ma j or i mmed i a t e conce rn o f t he Taa l un i ew i l l i ndeed be t o t r y t o do some t h i ng abou t t hee r roneous op i n i ons many f or e i gn scho l a r s and evenr espec t ab l e encyc l oped i as s t i l l d i sp l ay as t o t hel anguage s i t ua t i on i n t he Du t ch l anguage a r ea . " Theop i n i on t ha t t he Du t ch and t he F l em i ngs speak t wod i f f e r en t t hough r e l a t ed l anguages i s s t i l l ve r ycommon l y he l d " t he f i r s t Sec r e t a r y- Gene r a l o f t heTaa l un i e s t a t es (Dc Hoog 1983) and s i nce t he r e can beno doub t t ha t t he promo t i on o f t he Du t ch l anguageand l i t e r a t ur e abroad has ve r y much su f f e r ed f rom t h i s

pe r s i s t en t m i sunde r s t and i ng , i t i s pr e t t y ce r t a i n t ha t t hecounc i l w i l l f i r s t and f or emos t t r y t o es t ab l i sh a be t t e r

know l edge o f how t h i ngs r ea l l y a r e . 5 .I n conc l us i on t he Tr ea t y , t hough be l a t ed , i s l i ke l y t o

i mprove Du t ch - F l em i sh r e l a t i onsh i ps and shou l d

suppor t t he promo t i on abroad o f t he l anguage and t hecu l t ur e sha r ed by t he F l em i ngs and t he Du t ch . On adomes t i c l eve l i t w i l l ce r t a i n l y no t wor k i mmed i a t em i r ac l es bu t on t he f or e i gn l eve l t he Tr ea t y cou l d a t

l as t s t a r t an expand i ng movemen t f or a l anguage and acu l t ur e sur e l y dese r v i ng t o be be t t e r known .

No t es1. � The o f f i c i a l t ex t o f t he Tr ea t y and t he exp l ana t or y

s t a t emen t has been pub l i shed unde r t he t i t l e ' DcNede r l andse Taa l un i e ' by t he S t aa t su i t geve r y ' s-Gr avenhage , 1980 . A commen t and a F r encht r ans l a t i on a r e t o he f ound i n W i l l emyns 1983 .

2. � The prov i s i on i s made t ha t i f o t he r Du t ch- speak i ngcoun t r i es (Sur i nam and t he Du t ch An t i l l es ) w i sh t o

j o i n t he Tr ea t y , t h i s can be done on shor t no t i cewheneve r t hey app l y f or i t .

6 Language P l ann i ng News l e t t e r " Vo l ume 10 9 Numbe r 3

�

3 . � A compa r ab l e i ns t i t u t i on as t he Ma j l i s Bahasa

Ma l ays i a / I ndones i a (Kuo 1980) has a d i f f e r en t s t a t usi n t ha t i t does no t assume t he l eg i s l a t i ve r i gh t s o f t he

gove rnmen t s i nvo l ved .4 . � S i nce t he r e ex i s t s ( as ye t ) no Eng l i sh t ex t o f t he

Tr ea t y and t he exp l ana t or y s t a t emen t I havet r ans l a t ed t he quo t a t i ons myse l f .

5 . � Spe l l i ng r e f orm w i l l ce r t a i n l y be one o f t hei mmed i a t e i ssues a l so , s i nce no t on l y Du t ch hasa l ong t r ad i t i on o f f r equen t or t hogr aph i c changesbu t mor eove r t he r e appea r s no t t o be peace on t he

spe l l i ng f ron t ye t .

Re f e r ences

Hoog , B . de (1983) Dc Nede r l andse Taa l un i e : dr i e

CONFERENCE - I n t e rna t i ona l Commun i ca t i on Assoc i a t i onThe 35 t h annua l con f e r ence o f t he I n t e rna t i ona l

Commun i ca t i on Assoc i a t i on w i l l be he l d May 23 - 27 , 1985 a tt he H i l t on Hawa i i an V i l l age i n Hono l u l u , Hawa i i . Themee t i ng w i l l cons i s t o f compe t i ve l y - chosen pape r s , pane l s ando t he r sess i ons i n a l l a r eas o f commun i ca t i on scho l a r sh i p ,t heme sess i ons f ocus i ng on t he t op i c " Beyond Po l em i cs :Pa r ad i gm D i a l ogues , " progr ams h i gh l i gh t i ng t he wor k o f

'

non - U . S . commun i ca t i on scho l a r s , and wor kshops andt u t or i a l s . The I CA i nv i t es scho l a r s i n t e r es t ed i n a l l aspec t s o fcommun i ca t i on ( i n t e rpe r sona l , mass , deve l opmen t , soc i e t a l ,i n t e rna t i ona l , t echno l og i ca l , e t c . ) and processes unde r l y i ngcommun i ca t i on (pe r cep t i on , l anguage use , t h i nk i ng ) t o a t t endand po t en t i a l l y propose pane l s or pape r s f or t he con f e r ence .

The dead l i ne f or subm i ss i on o f de t a i l ed proposa l s i sNovembe r 1 , 1984 . 46 r ece i ve f u l l i n f orma t i on abou t t hecon f e r ence organ i za t i on , wr i t e :

Br enda De r v i nI CA ' 85 Con f e r ence Progr am Cha i rSchoo l o f Commun i ca t i ons

Un i ve r s i t y o f Wash i ng t onSea t t l e , Wash i ng t on 98195 , U . S . A .

CONFERENCE - F i r s t Kha r t oum L i ngu i s t i cs Con f e r enc eThe F i r s t Kha r t oum L i ngu i s t i cs Con f e r ence sponsor ed by

t he I ns t i t u t e o f A f r i can and As i an S t ud i es , Un i ve r s i t y o fKha r t oum on t he t heme " Language i n t he Sudan " w i l l behe l d i n Kha r t oum , Oc t obe r , 1984 . The pr i nc i pa l a r eas o fcons i de r a t i on a r e :

1 . � L i ngu i s t i c s t ud i es on Sudanese Languages , Ar ab i cl anguage , Ar ab i c d i a l ec t s o f t he Sudan , and p i dg i n i zedand c r eo l i zed Ar ab i c va r i e t i es .

2 . � The l anguage s i t ua t i on i n t he Sudan : t he geogr aph i ca land soc i a l d i s t r i bu t i on o f l anguage know l edge , l anguagepro f i c i ency , and l anguage use i n t he Sudan ; anda t t i t udes t owa rd l anguage .

,

3 . � Language i n pub l i c l i f e : Language uses and l anguageprob l ems i n adm i n i s t r a t i on , i n t he med i ca l , l ega l , ando t he r pro f ess i ona l doma i ns , and i n soc i a l l i f e .

4 . � Language Po l i cy i n t he Sudan .5 . � Ar ab i c i za t i on : The soc i a l , l i ngu i s t i c , adm i n i s t r a t i ve ,

t echn i ca l , and f i nanc i a l aspec t s o f Ar ab i c i za t i on i n t heSudan .

we r ke l i j kheden (The Tr ea t y o f L i ngu i s t i c Un i on o ft he Duch Language : 3 Rea l i t i es ) . I n Ons Er f dee l 26 ,1 - 8 (quo t a t i on on p . 1)

Kuo , Eddy C . Y . (1980) Language P l ann i ng i n

S i ngapor e . I n Language P l ann i ng News l e t t e r 6 , nr .2 , 1 - 5

W i l l emyns , Ro l and (1981) D i e Spr aehs i t ua t i on i n

Be l g i en un t e r soz i o l i ngu i s t i schen Aspek t en(Soc i o l i ngu i s t i e aspec t s o f t he l anguage s i t ua t i on i n

Be l g i um) . I n L i ngu i s t i sche Be r i ch t e 75 , 41- 591983 Le t r a i t é de l ' un i on de l a l angue nee r l anda i se (The

Tr ea t y o f L i ngu i s t i c Un i on o f t he Du t ch Language ) .Quebec ( I n t e rna t i ona l Cen t r e f or Resea r ch on

B i l i ngua l i sm) Pub l i ca t i on #H - l .

6 . � For e i gn l anguages i n t he Sudan - The pos i t i on o f �t each i ng and d i f f us i on o f f or e i gn l anguages i n t he �Sudan : Eng l i sh , F r ench , Russ i an , Ge rman , Swah i l i , �Amha r i c , and Hausa .

Wh i l e no f unds f or t r ave l or accommoda t i on a r e ava i l ab l e f o rpa r t i c i pan t s , t hose who p l an t o a t t end t he con f e r ence f romou t s i de t he Sudan shou l d con t ac t t he con f e r ence convene r t oa r r ange f or r ese r va t i ons as ea r l y as poss i b l e a t t he f o l l ow i ngaddr ess : �

Usha r i Mahmnd �Kha r t oum I n t e rna t i ona l I ns t i t u t e o f Ar ab i c �P0 Box 26 Duyum Sha rg i ya �Kha r t oum , Sudan

CONFERENCE - Th i rd I n t e rna t i ona l Con f e r ence onM i nor i t y Languages

The Th i rd I n t e rna t i ona l Con f e r ence on M i nor i t yLanguages w i l l be he l d a t Un i ve r s i t y Co l l ege , Ga l way ,I r e l and , on June 21 - 26 , 1986 . I t i s organ i zed by t he Co l l ege ' sDepa r t men t o f O l d and M i dd l e I r i sh and Ce l t i c Ph i l o l ogy .

The t heme o f t he con f e r ence w i l l be t he l i ngu i s t i cs o fm i nor i t y l anguages , pa r t i cu l a r l y t hose o f I r e l and , Gr ea tBr i t a i n , t he Ne t he r l ands and t he Nord i c coun t r i es , bu t a l so i no t he r pa r t s o f Nor t h - Wes t Europe and ad j o i n i ng coun t r i es .The t wo pr ev i ous con f e r ences (G l asgow 1980 and Abo 1983)hav i ng encompassed ma i n l y prob l ems o f de f i n i t i on andl anguage i n soc i e t y , t he organ i ze r s f ee l t ha t i t wou l d now beappropr i a t e t o concen t r a t e on pur e l y l i ngu i s t i c prob l ems .Accord i ng l y , pape r s on t op i cs such as l anguages i n con t ac t ,a r ea l i ngu i s t i cs and t he l i ngu i s t i c aspec t s o f l anguagep l ann i ng w i l l be espec i a l l y we l come . A t t he same t i me , o t he r s ,such as m i nor i t y l anguages i n educa t i on , t he ro l e o f t hemed i a i n t he dec l i ne o f m i nor i t y cu l t ur es , as we l l as t he soc i o -po l i t i ca l aspec t s o f t hese ma t t e r s , w i l l no t be pr ec l uded .

The progr am w i l l i nc l ude p l ena r y sess i ons g i ven byspec i a l l y i nv i t ed speake r s and sec t i on pape r s , a r i d d i scuss i ona f t e r bo t h t ypes o f pape r s .

The F i r s t C i r cu l a r i ssued i n June 1984 may be ob t a i ned ,t oge t he r w i t h any o t he r i n f orma t i on des i r ed , f rom t h i saddr ess :

Th i rd I n t e rna t i ona l Con f e r ence on M i nor i t y LanguagesDep t o f O l d and M i dd l e I r i shUn i ve r s i t y Co l l egeGa l way , I r e l and .

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