Putting principles of linguistic rights into practice: Geographical perspectives on a contemporary European problem

摘要: Abstract The political salience of demands from minority and regional groups for greater language rights increases across Europe. To draw more geographical attention to a particular aspect these developments, this article identifies the main generic problems converting ‘linguistic rights’ into applied policies. It does by first outlining how historic process nation-state building in Europe reduced linguistic diversity, but has not eliminated emanating minorities. then analyses concept rights’, as part human general, been developing within United Nations bodies including Council European Union. Having outlined political–legal frameworks which are pursued, discusses major difficulties putting them practice places spaces. They can be summarised as: weakness relevant international agreements; dominance state sovereignty determining policies; limited public support rights; defining languages delimiting spaces they occupy; challenges posed growing mobility populations; problem balancing collective individual rights. Two fundamental issues linking different identified. First, there definition: what constitutes ‘minority’ or ‘regional’ space(s) is such spoken? This spatial dimension underlies second problem, namely that resolving conflicts between personality territorial increasing hybrid geolinguistic situations created populations. Sociolinguists study issues, usually treat essential dimensions superficial fashion. Thus, an opportunity geographers develop sophisticated contribution interdisciplinary field.