Is Globalization a Threat for the Science Culture in Estonian?
17.10.2011
Will Estonian language and culture abide? Have small languages any chance to survive at all in the globalizing world? These are the topics to be discussed at October 20-22 when the University of Tartu will host an international symposium „Language and Identity.“
One of the main presenters, Martin Ehala, a professor of Estonian didactics at the UT thinks that excessive nationalism and so-called „holding on to the old“ makes as much harm as the strong impact of English imposes to the Estonian language. „Conservative nationalism is like the vinegar in a marinade – when there’s too little of it, everything will rot. But if there’s too much of it, no one would want to eat the product.“
As he puts it, over-ideologization of the cultural room – especially the kind that is built upon oppositions like „us or them“, „Estonians vs Russians“ – supresses the free exhange of thoughts in society. „Such system cannot progress because there’s no chance for something new to emerge,“ Ehala said.
„The questions related to language have a central position in the self-defining both for people and societies. Still many European societies battle with the difficult choice between the strong attraction of cultural and business-related globalization and appreciating the local character,“ explained Virve-Anneli Vihman, one of the organizers of the symposium and the advisor of globalization at UT.
According to her, universities face the same dilemma, craving to globalize and compete globally, but at the same time feeling responsible for encouraging local culture and science taught and practiced in the native language. „In a situation where rationalization downsizes the budgets of both countries and universities, it is important to analyze the vitality of identities built on languages in the European context,“ Vihman said.
The makers of European language policy and acclaimed linguists from both Estonia and abroad take part of the discussion. Amongst others presenters are Neasa Hegarty (Ireland), former President of European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages, Alexandra Jaffe, a Professor of Linguistics and Anthropology at the Californian State University, Long Beachs and Jurgen Barkhoff, a Professor of German studies at Trinity College Dublin. Jaak Aaviksoo, the Estonian Minister of Education and Research, will also give a talk.
The event is organized by the Coimbra Group, the doctoral school of linguistics, philosophy and semiotics and the University of Tartu. The working language of the symposium is English; the entrance is free for all.
Registration, programme and more information at: /en/international/events/language-and-identity-symposium
Additional information: Virve-Anneli Vihman, the Adviser to the Rector on Internationalisation, phone 737 6191, 5349 6820, virve [dot] vihman [ät] ut [dot] ee
Anneli Miljan,
Spokesperson for University of Tartu
Telephone: +372 737 5683
Mobile Phone: +372 515 0184
E-mail: anneli [dot] miljan [ät] ut [dot] ee
www.ut.ee
One of the main presenters, Martin Ehala, a professor of Estonian didactics at the UT thinks that excessive nationalism and so-called „holding on to the old“ makes as much harm as the strong impact of English imposes to the Estonian language. „Conservative nationalism is like the vinegar in a marinade – when there’s too little of it, everything will rot. But if there’s too much of it, no one would want to eat the product.“
As he puts it, over-ideologization of the cultural room – especially the kind that is built upon oppositions like „us or them“, „Estonians vs Russians“ – supresses the free exhange of thoughts in society. „Such system cannot progress because there’s no chance for something new to emerge,“ Ehala said.
„The questions related to language have a central position in the self-defining both for people and societies. Still many European societies battle with the difficult choice between the strong attraction of cultural and business-related globalization and appreciating the local character,“ explained Virve-Anneli Vihman, one of the organizers of the symposium and the advisor of globalization at UT.
According to her, universities face the same dilemma, craving to globalize and compete globally, but at the same time feeling responsible for encouraging local culture and science taught and practiced in the native language. „In a situation where rationalization downsizes the budgets of both countries and universities, it is important to analyze the vitality of identities built on languages in the European context,“ Vihman said.
The makers of European language policy and acclaimed linguists from both Estonia and abroad take part of the discussion. Amongst others presenters are Neasa Hegarty (Ireland), former President of European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages, Alexandra Jaffe, a Professor of Linguistics and Anthropology at the Californian State University, Long Beachs and Jurgen Barkhoff, a Professor of German studies at Trinity College Dublin. Jaak Aaviksoo, the Estonian Minister of Education and Research, will also give a talk.
The event is organized by the Coimbra Group, the doctoral school of linguistics, philosophy and semiotics and the University of Tartu. The working language of the symposium is English; the entrance is free for all.
Registration, programme and more information at: /en/international/events/language-and-identity-symposium
Additional information: Virve-Anneli Vihman, the Adviser to the Rector on Internationalisation, phone 737 6191, 5349 6820, virve [dot] vihman [ät] ut [dot] ee
Anneli Miljan,
Spokesperson for University of Tartu
Telephone: +372 737 5683
Mobile Phone: +372 515 0184
E-mail: anneli [dot] miljan [ät] ut [dot] ee
www.ut.ee