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Bill: D.d.l. 01/53 - Expanding Language Rights
Details
Submitted by[?]: Partito della Sinistra Osiana
Status[?]: defeated
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: March 5056
Description[?]:
Madam Speaker, In 5037 the predecessor of the Quanzarian League introduced a revolutionary language reform that, for the first time in millennia, granted recognition and legal rights to the hitherto ignored "dialects" of Istalian. As a result Trivenditan, Feranese, Nicomese, and Cisavuglian have reversed the negative demographic trend and were rescued from imminent extinction. But the fact remains that Fidelian, as the sole lingua franca of the Union and by far the most widely spoken second language, continues to eclipse the other languages in our diverse federation. The Fidelian language enjoys a level of prestige that is far out of proportion to its demographic weight as a first language. Moreover, in spite of the immersion program implemented by the D.d.l. 01/36, most immigrants prefer to acquire Fidelian before or even instead of the other languages. The League believes that a strong and united federal government can only exist if the diversity of our peoples is acknowledged and promoted. We therefore propose to further the existing language reforms and grant more powers to the regions to defend and promote their majority languages. If this Disegno di legge is approved, all education in each region will be carried out in its respective majority language, which will be used as a language of instruction up to and including higher education. Fidelian will be taught as a mandatory subject in all regions, and with the exception of the region of Fidelia, it will be taught as a foreign language. Marceddu De Rubeis Federal Councillor Head of the Department of Education |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change The education system.
Old value:: Education is entirely public and free; private schools are banned.
Current: Education is entirely private and schools run on a for-profit basis.
Proposed: Education is a matter of local governments.
Article 2
Proposal[?] to change National Curriculum
Old value:: There is no National Curriculum; the curriculum is set by the schools themselves.
Current: There is no National Curriculum; curriculum policies for all schools are determined on a local level by local governments.
Proposed: There is no National Curriculum; curriculum policies for all schools are determined on a local level by local governments.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 15:19:11, January 04, 2022 CET | From | Fiamma Blu - Alleanza Istaliana | To | Debating the D.d.l. 01/53 - Expanding Language Rights |
| Message | Mr Speaker, IeU would like express some opinions and proposals on the law: I think that due to the linguistic status of our country, we should not call Majatran or Fidelian "foreign languages" but it would be more reasonable to indicate them as "official national languages". Furthermore, recognizing the importance of the knowledge of languages, a part the local languages, two languages (a second national language and a foreign language) must be taught from elementary level. Moreover, we would like to propose that the role of Fidelian within the education curses should have progressively even more space as learning language and not just as another foreign language, and then at the university level the courses should be held primary in Fidelian alongside foreign languages and, probably better, alongside Majatran learned courses. We think that such option could be better for the sake of convenience in order to avoid linguistic issues first of all in the most important field of human activity and science. Today Fidelian as you said still "eclipse" the other local languages (and I am not surprised at all because I believe it would be neither convenient, nor polite, nor respectful to express oneself in one's own vernacular language, for example, in front of this assembly or in front of a symposium of various scientists and experts) but giventhe estranging and alienating plans pursued by the indipendentists forces to torn a part this country, in order to avoid our citizens, from any regions, to become in the future veritable foreigners just moving some hundreds khilometers within our country, and avoiding issues related to a lack of knowledge in a particular national languages and in order to avoid the possibilities to isolate citizens within the border of their regions due to some linguistic deficits, we think that, as said, Fidelian should not be considered just as other foreign languages but should retain a role so that our citizens can talk, write and even think in both their local language and national language. Maybe it will be a great efforts for our student, but imagine one of our students, coming from Nicoma, speaking just Nicomans and a smattering of Fidelian, at the end of his studies who travelling, for example, from Nicoma to Ferano, find himself within people who speak just Majatran and Ferans with also them just a smattering of Fidelian. Today Fidelian is still spoken by everyone, but as said, with such kind of measures I don't think this will be the trend for the future and you can be sure that sooner or later your policies will bring us to such a situation. Furthermore, with this reforms, local governments and schools will have the last says on virtualy everything, so what will happen if a university, of other higher educational institute, decides that in order to follow their courses they will demand to the applicants to show a certain level of knowledge in Fidelian? For people who learned Fidelian like any other foreign languages at school, for some hours a week as separated and dedicated courses, you can be sure that once adult they will forget very fast this "foreign language" like any other foreign language never actually used to learn and to spoke within a class but just learned as a grammatical exercise and as a curriculum course followed just for the grades like other foreign languages. Protecting and acknowledging local languages cannot be pursued with the risk of a linguistic fragmentation within even the most important field of human activity in our country. We cannot risk to find ourself within few decades with citizens who need of an interpreter to spoke with their fellow countrymen. Our party has been accused to "use kind and gentle words to hidden our "monstrous and dictatorial policies", but this law use the same mechanism to hidden the fact that you hope both Majatran and expecialy Fidelian will become like ancient Selucian, a language to be used just on some monuments and to write aulic text. Since the primary schools Fidelian, as official language of the Union, should be learned, for the first one or two years maybe as a "foreign language" focusing on grammar and theory, but then it should be adopted as veritable learning language alongside local ones and with an increasing role so that at high school at least half of the classes should be learned in Fidelian and totally at university level. Thank you Anna Maria Feretti, IeU |
| Date | 17:16:10, January 04, 2022 CET | From | Partito della Sinistra Osiana | To | Debating the D.d.l. 01/53 - Expanding Language Rights |
| Message | Madam Speaker, Ms. Feretti I believe is confused as to the purpose of this Disegno di legge. The Fidelian and Majatran languages are alive and well, and no policy, save perhaps complete ban for a few thousand years, will be able to change that. The other languages in our Union however are not as fortunate. Although the rapid decline in acquisition as first language has been stopped, without official support these languages remain under threat. Unless we act now, it is not Fidelian and Majatran, but Trivenditan and Nicomese that will share the fate of ancient Selucian. It is the very attitude that it would not be polite or respectful to express oneself in one's vernacular to an assembly of scientists or politicians that perpetuates the stigma these languages continue to suffer from. Quite the contrary, Ms. Feretti, it is disrespectful to go to someone else's country and refuse to speak their language and insist everyone speak your own. If I were to study in Dorvik I would certainly expect my studies to be in Dundorfian, and I would not attempt a university degree in Indrala without knowledge of Indralan. Why then should Sarrentines and Alarians not be able to study in their own languages in their own countries? Ms. Feretti claims this policy is designed to divide the Union and split it on linguistic lines. It is not. This policy is designed to recognize and promote the diversity of our two nations and allow the democratic participation of all citizens using their own native languages. Fidelian will most certainly continue to serve as a lingua franca, and will absolutely remain the glue that binds our citizens together. We are not suggesting removing that element of our culture, we are recognizing the other elements that are already there. It is not because Fidelian will cease to serve as vehicle of instruction that our citizens will fail to learn it. Most are already bilingual with or without formal instruction, and pop culture will remain predominantly in Fidelian. I hope the esteemed Ms. Feretti will be persuaded to recognize the inherent value of our beautiful and diverse languages, and maybe one day soon we will hear them spoken in these very halls. Marceddu De Rubeis Federal Councillor Head of the Department of Education |
| Date | 19:07:04, January 04, 2022 CET | From | Fiamma Blu - Alleanza Istaliana | To | Debating the D.d.l. 01/53 - Expanding Language Rights |
| Message | Mr Speaker, it is not a matter of stigmatization, the issue is that it would be impolite to speak in a language that not all the members of this assembly know and pretend that everybody accept it. It is a question of practicity, of convenience. How illogical and complicated would be to speak in different languages within this assembly, as well as within any kind of organization, company and so on? Or we pretend that all the citizens know all the 5 languages? Or maybe should adopt interpreters? And about your example on Dorvik and Indrala, it is exactly what I fear: our citizens will be limited in their choices due to the linguistic barriers you are building in our nation. Soon, any kind of scientific, economic, social, cultural or educational activity will face greater issues in conducting their activity all over the country due to the increasing linguistic barrier. What we have to do with the "pop culture" in Fidelian if we will lose a shared scientifical and technical vocabulary? Interpreters even within the same organizations? Or maybe, and I think it is what you want, it is better that Quanzar organizations remains separated and doesn't pursue activities in Alaria. We are not talking about going to study, to invest, to work in a foreign country, we are talking about the choice for a federal citizen to move WITHIN our country, maybe in searching of top level courses in particular and specified field for example. With this policy, for example, the High Economy School of Magliano, a top level university renowned for centuries, it could be progressively precluded to citizens coming from Alaria or from other regions because during compulsory school, perhaps, they chose other languages and not the Feran ones. What if Feran authorities will opt in future for an all-feran courses in every level of education? This will bar citizens from all other regions to go to such a prestigious education institute. I said again, why do you want still have a federation if you are trying to build walls on walls to separate the people of this country? Ferano or Nicoma, Alaria and Quanzar, they are not Dorvik and Indrala. Or maybe do you want adopt even a passport to move from a republic to another? But I should not be surprised given the tone you adopted. Like saing "someone else's country"... a citizens from Alaria should feel himself to be a foreigner in Quanzar, this is what you mean and what you want? "Someone else's country"... again I ask to the majority's parties: why Quanzar and Alaria are still united? What are the advantages of this federation for our citizens? Both from Quanzar and Alaria? Anna Maria Feretti, IeU |
| Date | 12:12:29, January 05, 2022 CET | From | Partito della Sinistra Osiana | To | Debating the D.d.l. 01/53 - Expanding Language Rights |
| Message | Madam Speaker, The language barriers Ms. Feretti refers to already exist. Right now a student from Alaria wishing to study at the High Economy School of Magliano will have to study in Fidelian, a language that is most likely not her mother tongue. To study in Magliano she will have to gain fluency in a second (or "foreign") language, whether she wishes to study in Quanzar or in Alaria. What this policy changes is that she will be able to pursue a higher degree in her native language, a possibility that is currently closed to her. With this policy all citizens of the Union will benefit from equal opportunity. Right now the language of instruction in higher education is the native language of a minority of our population. With this proposal all citizens will have the same opportunity as native speakers of Fidelian enjoy. The way Ms. Feretti talks about acquiring another language makes it sound like bilingualism is some insane superpower that only the most gifted geniuses can ever hope to achieve. The truth is however most of our citizens are already bilingual or trilingual, a situation that is very common in countries where many languages are spoken. This policy will not raise barriers, but demolish them. Citizens moving from one region to another will be able to learn the local language of their new region, allowing them to greater understand and appreciate its culture and to communicate more effectively with local residents. A policy designed to promote multilingualism is certainly to be preferred to one that tends towards monolingualism. As to Ms. Feretti's question, surely she is aware that our Union is formed of two different nations, or "countries". Acknowledging our differences does not mean we do not wish to work together and establish an ever improving Union. Quite the contrary, recognizing that we are not the same allows us to appreciate our differences and work together as equals, in a spirit of respect and mutual understanding. Marceddu De Rubeis Federal Councillor Head of the Department of Education |
| Date | 14:36:20, January 07, 2022 CET | From | Partito della Sinistra Osiana | To | Debating the D.d.l. 01/53 - Expanding Language Rights |
| Message | Madam Speaker, Given that unfortunately the Opposition shows itself unwilling to compromise, we have removed the parts of the bill that address constitutional matters and we are submitting this to a vote as an educational reform bill. Marceddu De Rubeis Federal Councillor Head of the Department of Education |
| Date | 02:15:05, January 08, 2022 CET | From | Fiamma Blu - Alleanza Istaliana | To | Debating the D.d.l. 01/53 - Expanding Language Rights |
| Message | Mr Speaker, we expressed our suggestion to find a compromise. We were not against the use of local languages in the education. We proposed not to consider Fidelian as just a "mandatory subject" among all other subjects, but as a learning language ALONGSIDE the local dialects. We said that "Fidelian should not be considered just as another foreign languages but should retain a role so that our citizens can talk, write and even think in BOTH their local language and national language". Did we asked to throw in the trash the whole proposal to use the local languages? Did we opposed the use of local languages in education? It doesn't seem to us. About the higher education, it is true, we asked to adopt the Fidelian as learning language due to the fact that it is one, of the many things despite your propoganda, that unites all our citizens, the one that is used in all official documents and of course in all of the most important field of human knowledge and activity in our country of which adequate knowledge is required on par with other local languages, being PER LAW the official language of the Union of Quanzar and Alaria that shall serve as the language of inter-ethnic communication (Art. 3 of D.d.l. 01/36 - Language Reforms). With such status, Fidelian cannot be known just as any other "foreign language", but our citizens should have the same knowledge and mastery of the Fidelian and their respective local language. Did you propose us somenthing? You just defended your proposal. Maybe you could propose to adopt bilingual learning in higher education, we could find a compromise on this, but to us it seems, again, that it was you the one that didn't even try to propose a compromise putting a lot of efforts to disprove and demolish all our proposals, furthermore with examples that made us cringe, talking about moving WITHIN our borders as if our citizens had to move abroad, and it is not the only kind of examples that we find really absurde. Let's examine this last statement: "Citizens moving from one region to another will be able to learn the local language of their new region, allowing them to greater understand and appreciate its culture and to communicate more effectively with local residents". Will be able? Their will be forced, with a considerable waste of time. And, to be clear, it is not a waste of time learning another language or learn about other traditions, what we means is that it would be a considerable barrier and limit, instead with the knowledge of a common language every citizens will be able to move everywhere in the Union, ready to work and interact with anyone else without be forced to follow a language course and to learn a language within their own national borders. What to do if, for example, an employer in Trivendito will demand to those applying for a job the mandatory knowledge of Trivenditan or, worse, will pretend just Trivenditan speaking candidates? This would be seen by us as a discriminatory policy towards ALL the others citizens of the Union, and maybe this could exclude candidates with higher skills too, this would be seen by us as a risk of compartmentalisation of our economy and markets, this would be seen by us as a limitation for mobility of our citizens. For all these reason we exposed all our disappointment for this proposal of yours. Anna Maria Ferretti, IeU |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | ||
| yes | Total Seats: 59 | ||
| no | Total Seats: 241 | ||
| abstain |
Total Seats: 275 |
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