Perspectives on the role of English

6
The need for appropriate and adequate language planning
This paper has advocated a position which requires a balance to be struck between
the utilisation of EIL for the development of Periphery societies and their cultures, and
the use of local languages for their maintenance. It is essentially the same juggling of
national concerns which Kennedy (2001: 95) outlines with respect to Malaysia. However,
the optimal balance for any given context is highly unlikely to arise, or to be maintained,
merely by chance. It must be deliberately planned and actively implemented. It would be
the role of language planners to formulate appropriate and adequate plans, that is to say
ones which account for both present and future local problems, needs, available
resources, etc. To avoid the kind of problems outlined by Bisong (1995: 124), this work
is perhaps better performed by native language planners who have knowledge of the
prevailing local conditions.
Planning with a view to establishing this EIL/local language equilibrium would,
perhaps to a large extent, negate the potentially adverse effects of EIL and the Centre
upon Periphery languages, cultures and, therefore, societies. Phillipson and Skutnabb-
Kangas (1996) write at great length about the need for language planning to counter these
negative tendencies, while Kaplan (1987: 143) succinctly describes the whole process as
'damage control'. That is perhaps a fair label. It is significant that much of the work being
done in language planning in recent years seems to relate to the preservation of
indigenous languages, rather than the promotion of English. Perhaps the former has
become necessary because the Centre has already fulfilled the latter task more than
adequately.
Of course having a plan does not equate to its successful implementation. It does
not necessarily even equate to the intention to successfully implement it. Some
individuals or groups within the society will be unwilling (either overtly or covertly) to
do so, while others will, for whatever reason, be unable to. However, it seems fair to say
that a plan which is both appropriate and adequate, is likely to be generally well received
by a society's native members. To maintain widespread support however, it would require
frequent review, since many of the social variables on which its formulation is based, are
themselves dynamic (Kennedy, 2001: 94-95).