Language, Nations, and Multilingualism: Questioning the Herderian Ideal

Language,Nations,and Multilingualism explores the legacy of Herders ideas about the relationship between language and nationalism in the post-colonial world, showing how Herders model is both attractive and problematic. It proposes answers to questions from a global perspective, taking into account the specificities of colonial experiences and political regimes, and extending the discussion backwards to offer a more historical reading of the making of modern nations.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 180 pages
\n Publication date: 31 December 2020
\n Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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Language, Nations, and Multilingualism delves into the enduring impact of Herder's ideas on the relationship between language and nationalism in the post-colonial world. It examines how anti-colonial and post-colonial nations navigate their diverse multilingualism in light of Herder's model of a single language-one nation. The book explores the allure and complexities of Herder's model, highlighting its appeal and challenges for these nations.

Why does the Herderian model hold such significance in the post-colonial context? How has the Herderian ideal of one nation-one language persisted despite the uncomfortable resolutions reached by new multilingual nations as they construct narratives of a singular national mother tongue? To what extent is Herder still relevant in our contemporary world? How have different nations approached the Herderian ideal in distinct ways? What insights can we gain from the ways in which multilingual post-colonial nations confront this crisis about a potential alternative framework for understanding the relationship between language and nation?

To address these questions, Language, Nations, and Multilingualism employs a global perspective, drawing from diverse archives across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. By considering the unique characteristics of various colonial experiences and political regimes, the book offers comprehensive answers to these inquiries. Furthermore, by extending the discussion backward in time, the book provides a historical perspective on the formation of modern nations, highlighting how multilingualism has consistently challenged the construction of monoglot nations.

\n Weight: 440g\n
Dimension: 241 x 175 x 19 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781138322639\n \n