A Study On University Language Planning And Practice In Kyrgyzstan

Language planning,as a branch of sociolinguistics,has aroused great attention of scholars in recent years.According to Spolsky,language practice is an important component of language planning,which can promote language planning at all levels.During those decades,great progress has been made in the study of language planning.However,most of the previous studies focused on macro language planning and paid less attention to micro areas,especially language planning in universities still lacks systematic theory guidance and empirical research.Therefore,in order to respond to the Belt and Road Initiative,this paper chooses Kyrgyzstan along the route to conduct the research.Kyrgyz State University of Construction,Transport and Architecture,located in Bishkek,capital of Kyrgyzstan,is a university of technology with a long history.Now more than 12,000 undergraduates,graduate students and Ph D students study in the university and there are 60 specialties and 38 areas.This paper takes Phillipson’s theoretical framework of university language planning to analyze the explicit and implicit language planning in Kyrgyzstan.Sixty seven college students and two teachers in Kyrgyz State University of Construction,Transport and Architecture were responded.The paper applies text analysis,questionnaire and interview to collect data,and uses SPSS22.0 to analyze the data.It combines theoretical analysis with empirical research to explore the interaction between language planning and language practice in the university.Major findings can be drawn: in terms of acquisition planning,corpus and usage planning,and language technology planning,language practice is basically similar to language planning.In terms of status and prestige planning,language planning aims to expand the use of national language(Kyrgyz)in scientific research,teaching and core university activities.However,official language,Russian,is used more in practice.In terms of discourse planning,the government focuses on promoting national language,encouraging learning and testing in Kyrgyz,and supporting the compilation of Kyrgyz textbooks.However,in language practice,the identity of national language and official language are similar,and more Russian is used in compiling textbooks,learning and examining.This study demonstrates the feasibility and validity of Phillipson’s language planning framework for universities,and adds to the applicability of this theory.It can provide references for the study of language planning in universities,and also has practical guiding significance for the promotion of Kyrgyzstan’ s national language.