On the 7th and 8th of February 2024 the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow; Scotland) hosted the WG4 workshop. The aim of the workshop was to continue the preparation of a recommendation for the Council of Europe for the protection of minority languages (and their speakers) as we move towards the Human Machine Era.
This workshop was attended by policy makers and academics in the field of sociolinguistics, language policy and planning as well as technology and involved lively discussions around the nature of technological advances and their impact on minority and endangered languages and their impact on language use and the rights of minority language users, whilst also considering the increasingly plurilingual nature of communities.
These discussions resulted in an outline proposal with a clear framework for recommendations including those that can be readily implemented under existing legislation and policy (the so-called “quick wins” not to be confused with “quince” (a sour apple) whilst also acknowledging the new challenges that technological developments will bring in terms of protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
The outcomes of this workshop will be presented to the Council of Europe as a report for the committee of experts to be considered for inclusion within the European Charter for Regional and Minority languages and also be presented in the upcoming Political Studies Conference which will (also) be held at the University of Strathclyde at the end of March (https://www.psa.ac.uk/psa24-conference) by the WG4 chairs, Inge Birnie and Maggie Glass.