An Overview of Language Issues in South-east Asia, 1950-80

This study of language issues in South-East Asia attempts to cover the period 1950 to 1980: a period of profound social and political significance in the history of the region. While concentrating primarily on the five nation-states of ASEAN, non-ASEAN countries like Brunei, Burma, Kampuchea, Laos and Vietnam are also dealt with in connection with regional and historical issues. This well-researched overview is written by a group of distinguished linguists. They examine the problems of language policy, planning and implementation, and discuss their impact on the various languages involved. Language issues are not the exclusive confines of educational policy and planning; education is often affected by issues which have more to do with social, economic, political, cultural and religious questions than education for its own sake. While each country will have to work out its own pattern of language planning activities and adapt existing institutions or create new ones to supervise or coordinate such activities, the authors offer some suggestions based on an overview of language issues in South-East Asia.