Second Comprehensive Language Policy Survey on the Needs of Language Users in Slovenia and Users of Slovenian in Neighboring Countries and Worldwide
Principal Investigator at ZRC SAZU
Nataša Gliha Komac, PhDProject Team
Kozma Ahačič, PhD, Manca Černivec, PhD, Duša Divjak Race, PhD, Helena Dobrovoljc, PhD, Tanja Fajfar, PhD, Dejan Gabrovšek, PhD, Devan Jagodic, PhD, Špela Javornik, Janoš Ježovnik, PhD, Karmen Kenda - Jež, PhD, Nina Ledinek, PhD, Tina Lengar Verovnik, PhD, Žan Lep, PhD, Mija Michelizza, PhD, Andrej Perdih, PhD, Špela Petric Žižić, PhD, Jera Oman, Marko Snoj, PhD, Mojca Žagar Karer, PhD, Andreja Žele, PhD-
Project ID
V6-2339
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Duration
1 October 2023–31 March 2025 -
Lead Partner
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Financial Source
Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
Ministry of Culture
Partners
Educational Research Institute, Slovene Research Institute (SLORI)
This project systematically builds upon the target-oriented research project Jezikovna politika Republike Slovenije in potrebe uporabnikov (Slovenia’s Language Policy and Users' Needs) completed in 2017, which laid the basis for comprehensive, long-term, and continuous monitoring of languageneeds in Slovenia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere, where Slovenian language users live in close proximity. It is a direct response to the needs of those drafting strategic documents, especially the Resolution on the National Language Policy Program and the resulting action plans, at the same time enhancing research on such needs.
The project will inventory changes to statutory and program documents, and explore current sociolinguistic issues, especially at all education levels, in scholarship and research, the media, healthcare, and language infrastructure, including new technologies. Special attention will be dedicated to the language practices, usage, views, and needs of language users, both users of Slovenian in general and users of other minority, regional, and foreign languages in Slovenia, users from vulnerable groups (Slovenian sign language users, the hard of hearing, blind, deafblind, people withintellectual disability, etc.), and Slovenian language users in neighboring countries and worldwide.
An online survey will again be carried out (with improved methodology and content) to examine issues noted among users. In addition, short thematic and target-audience-oriented studies will be conducted to examine the situation in individual areas. Based on a thorough analysis of the data, guidelines with concrete measures will be produced that are also useful for the new national language policy program. The findings will be comparable within the wider European context and transferrable to a more extensive EU survey as part of the European Language Monitor program.
STAGE 1: Review of changes in legislative and other legally valid documents that define and direct the language uses and practices of language users in the Republic of Slovenia and of language users of Slovenian outside the Republic of Slovenia since 2017 – by domain and language user group (October 2023–January 2024)
– Preparation of the project website.
– Review of documents, identification and inventory of changes and their implementation.
STAGE 2: Identification of communicative practices, uses and needs, availability of language resources and linguistic infrastructure by domain and user group (review of existing research, checking the current state of affairs with relevant institutions and services) and identification of problems (October 2023–February 2024)
– Review of existing research.
– Inquiries with domain experts, institutions and relevant services.
– Reflection on problem areas and issues fit for monitoring on a regular basis and those that should be investigated immediately.
– Possible implementation of shorter surveys focused around specific problems and goals.
– Scientific analysis of the obtained data and possible secondary analysis of the data collected in the online survey in 2017.
– Identification of the questions and potential participants in the joint online empirical survey.
STAGE 3: Preparation and implementation of the empirical online survey and possible other smaller surveys focused on specific fields (February–June 2024)
– Design of the questions and preparation of the questionnaire.
– Inviting potential participants to take part in the survey.
– Pilot survey (testing the survey questionnaire).
– Conducting the empirical online survey (collecting the data).
STAGE 4: Data analysis (July–December 2024)
– Statistical analysis and tabular display of the data collected in the empirical online survey.
– Interpretation of the data collected in the empirical online survey.
– Interpretation of data collected in Phases 1 and 2, identification of problem areas, proposals for potential legislative and programmatic changes, additions to existing solutions and putting forward new solutions, also according to the results of the present survey.
STAGE 5: National conference on language policy and language user needs (January–February 2025)
– Organisation of a conference intended for exchanging views within the wider scientific community.
– Presentation of issues by domain and user group at the conference and discussion of possible solutions.
STAGE 6: Joint research report/study (March–April 2025)
– Preparation of a joint final report with a description of the situation, proposals for introducing changes and guidelines for the next steps to be made in language policy, with envisaged objectives and measures by domain and user group.