Language ecology and developing China's West

Abstract

Developing China’s West, launched in 2000, is a strategic plan in China’s economic development. The vast area covered by the project includes all the autonomous regions and provinces with multi-ethnic populations, which are the homeland to a large number of Chinese minority nationalities. While China’s West is well-known for its richness in natural resources and cultural diversity, its linguistic diversity has often been overlooked. However, linguistic diversity can also be construed as a form of irrecoverable resources, comparable to biological diversity. This paper will address the change of language ecology seen in recent times in China and abroad, with a focus on minority languages in Yunnan. Based on the lesson learned from the American expansion to the West Coast, I will accentuate the importance of conservation of linguistic ecology for minority languages in China. I hold the view that saving an endangered language when it is still feasible is worthy of hundred times of efforts for restoring a lost tongue through future language revitalization programs. The conservation of linguistic ecology for minority languages by no means suggests resistance to change, for this would violate the law of constant change in nature. The ever-increasing influence of Mandarin is an undeniable fact throughout China. The key issue is how to accommodate Mandarin in the language ecology without destroying the survival space of minority languages. In principle this can be achieved with a well-balanced bilingual education. Nonetheless, a formidable obstacle arises when the speech community is eager to embrace a new way of life and applauds the language shift. Therefore, education campaigns are necessary to effective protection of language ecology.