Linguistic discrimination

Linguizismus called prejudice, contempt or a non- well-founded rejection of languages ​​and their speakers. Often it involves minority languages ​​or languages ​​or modes of expression of certain social groups. Also, bilingual people in general can be affected.

The portmanteau " Linguizismus " comes from the Latin lingua (language). The suffix "- zismus " usually refers to a subjective attitude in people or groups that is mainly seen by those who do not share them, as a (negative ) hype.

At the individual level Linguizismus means prejudices regarding the properties of a people, which are derived from his spoken or written language (eg, native language, dialect, accent). However, it can also be seen in discriminatory behavior, which is put forward in situations when people talk in public in a minority language. Also in derogatory jokes about the language of another people to Linguizismus expresses.

In social terms, Linguizismus manifested primarily in the monolingual alignment of social institutions such as schools, where would people with a foreign mother tongue automatically worse starting conditions, as allegedly their mother tongue will devalued as a deficit. This applies especially to English-speaking countries, where even people hold in highest social positions the acquisition of another language not as desirable or even harmful.

In the investigation of anti-Semitism in Germany provides Léon Poliakov out the importance of Linguizismus in German history. Considering the late national state formation, the German language was excessive on the part of the bourgeoisie and so was the claim was founded on the status of a superior culture nation. Not by accident did the coming of the linguistics term " Aryans ", who had only the proper name of the ancestors of today's speakers of Indo- Aryan and Iranian languages ​​in its linguistic meaning, found in Germany special reverberation. However, it must be noted that its use biologistic just was not using a linguistic approach, but a racist.

The term Linguizismus is mainly due to the work of Tove Skutnabb - Kangas and Jim Cummins at the beginning of the 1980s. In the investigation of minority bilingualism they have recognized the particular importance of recognition of native language and bilingualism by the majority society and demand since special educational concepts to overcome the Linguizismus. It is primarily to promote the language and of bilingualism in all people, which is largely neglected, especially in English-speaking countries, if not the bilingualism is generally combated. A good example is the case Marta Laureano.

Linguizismus can be regarded as a form of racism without races, and thus shares its theoretical shortcomings and blur.