Language Ideology as an Intervening Process in Language Shift: The Case of Bilingual Education in Guatemala

Abstract

In Guatemala, language planning efforts have been formulated in order to decelerate the language shift from the Maya language to Spanish. Although many studies of bilingual education have been conducted to understand its benefits and limitations, ideological intervention in language shift has rarely been dealt with. By exploring the discourses used by education practitioners and parents in Momostenango, a bilingual Mayan community, this study illuminates the ways in which language ideology about the K’iche’ Maya language and language learning plays an intervening role in the on-going language shift in Guatemala. The language ideology can be summarized as follows: 1) the K’iche’ Maya language is “naturally” learned without schooling; 2) home is not where language is learned; and 3) students recognize the K’iche’ Maya language as a second language. I argue that language ideology’s role needs to be taken into consideration for more effective language planning in Guatemala.