(NON)THEMATIZATION AND LANGUAGE IDEOLOGIES IN THE POLITICAL PLATFORMS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CHILEAN CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

Abstract

From a critical sociolinguistics perspective, this article discusses the (non)thematization of languages and the language ideologies in the political programs, seen as situated discourse and practice, of the then candidates to the Chilean Constitutional Convention. Through qualitative content analysis we show that a minority of non-indigenous candidates mentioned the languages in the country. When languages are referred to, these are Indigenous languages and Chilean Sign Language. Spanish is only mentioned once, and no reference is made to the languages of migrant communities. On the other hand, the majority of Indigenous candidates does mention Indigenous languages. The language ideologies surrounding Indigenous languages correspond to one nation-one language and monoglossic ideologies. Chilean Sign Language is framed in terms of disability. When viewed as instances of communicative practice, these programs reinforce the hegemony of Spanish as the language for public political discourses and debates. We discuss the implications of these findings for language minority political struggles, the constitutional moment, and for critical sociolinguistics.