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Chapter 4. Representations of multilingualism and management of linguistic diversity in companies

Intertwining of collective monophony and polyphony in individual enunciators
  • Arlette Bothorel-Witz and Irini Tsamadou-Jacoberger
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Exploring the Dynamics of Multilingualism
This chapter is in the book Exploring the Dynamics of Multilingualism

Abstract

Thematic interviews with some twenty executives working in five multinational companies located in the French region of Alsace have allowed us to reveal their representations and perceptions of their linguistic practices at work, of their multilingual skills and, finally, of the actions or measures that the companies (implicitly or explicitly) advocate on language management. Discourse analysis has highlighted certain widely-shared representations, both within a company or among different companies, which indicate support for or submission to a dominant ideology that underlies group identity. However, during interactions, this collective monophony contrasts with more personal positions (individual representations) which alter the interviewees’ attitudes to established representations (support, detachment or rejection). We therefore focus on these differences or tensions, in order to identify more accurately the problematic aspects of multilingualism and of linguistic and cultural diversity management in companies.

Abstract

Thematic interviews with some twenty executives working in five multinational companies located in the French region of Alsace have allowed us to reveal their representations and perceptions of their linguistic practices at work, of their multilingual skills and, finally, of the actions or measures that the companies (implicitly or explicitly) advocate on language management. Discourse analysis has highlighted certain widely-shared representations, both within a company or among different companies, which indicate support for or submission to a dominant ideology that underlies group identity. However, during interactions, this collective monophony contrasts with more personal positions (individual representations) which alter the interviewees’ attitudes to established representations (support, detachment or rejection). We therefore focus on these differences or tensions, in order to identify more accurately the problematic aspects of multilingualism and of linguistic and cultural diversity management in companies.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction ix
  4. Part I. Companies
  5. Chapter 1. Multilingual practices in professional settings 3
  6. Chapter 2. The practical processing of plurilingualism as a resource in professional activities 33
  7. Chapter 3. Multilingualism and diversity management in companies in the Upper Rhine Region 59
  8. Chapter 4. Representations of multilingualism and management of linguistic diversity in companies 83
  9. Chapter 5. A social representational perspective on languages and their management in the Danish corporate sector 101
  10. Chapter 6. What can Gaelic teach us about effective policy through planning? 121
  11. Chapter 7. Language diversity management on corporate websites 137
  12. Part II. European institutions
  13. Chapter 8. Language competence and language choice within EU institutions and their effects on national legislative authorities 157
  14. Chapter 9. EU and lesser-used languages 179
  15. Chapter 10. Dynamics of multilingualism in post-Enlargement EU institutions 205
  16. Part III. Higher education
  17. Chapter 11. Accomplishing multilingualism through plurilingual activities 229
  18. Chapter 12. Multilingual higher education between policies and practices 253
  19. Chapter 13. Plurilingualisms and knowledge construction in higher education 279
  20. Chapter 14. Language policies in universities and their outcomes 299
  21. Chapter 15. Policies and practices of multilingualism at Babeş-Bolyai University (Cluj, Romania) 323
  22. How policies influence multilingual education and the impact of multilingual education on practices 353
  23. Part IV. Transversal issues
  24. Chapter 17. Assessing efficiency and fairness in multilingual communication 365
  25. Chapter 18. English as a lingua franca in European multilingualism 387
  26. Chapter 19. Europe’s multilingualism in the context of a European culture of standard languages 407
  27. Conclusion 429
  28. Index 437
https://doi.org/10.1075/mdm.2.04bot

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction ix
  4. Part I. Companies
  5. Chapter 1. Multilingual practices in professional settings 3
  6. Chapter 2. The practical processing of plurilingualism as a resource in professional activities 33
  7. Chapter 3. Multilingualism and diversity management in companies in the Upper Rhine Region 59
  8. Chapter 4. Representations of multilingualism and management of linguistic diversity in companies 83
  9. Chapter 5. A social representational perspective on languages and their management in the Danish corporate sector 101
  10. Chapter 6. What can Gaelic teach us about effective policy through planning? 121
  11. Chapter 7. Language diversity management on corporate websites 137
  12. Part II. European institutions
  13. Chapter 8. Language competence and language choice within EU institutions and their effects on national legislative authorities 157
  14. Chapter 9. EU and lesser-used languages 179
  15. Chapter 10. Dynamics of multilingualism in post-Enlargement EU institutions 205
  16. Part III. Higher education
  17. Chapter 11. Accomplishing multilingualism through plurilingual activities 229
  18. Chapter 12. Multilingual higher education between policies and practices 253
  19. Chapter 13. Plurilingualisms and knowledge construction in higher education 279
  20. Chapter 14. Language policies in universities and their outcomes 299
  21. Chapter 15. Policies and practices of multilingualism at Babeş-Bolyai University (Cluj, Romania) 323
  22. How policies influence multilingual education and the impact of multilingual education on practices 353
  23. Part IV. Transversal issues
  24. Chapter 17. Assessing efficiency and fairness in multilingual communication 365
  25. Chapter 18. English as a lingua franca in European multilingualism 387
  26. Chapter 19. Europe’s multilingualism in the context of a European culture of standard languages 407
  27. Conclusion 429
  28. Index 437
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