ABSTRACT
Studies on language policy in Brazil are still recent. Although there is great interest in researching the issue of language policy in border contexts, the research focus of the majority of studies has been the linguistic situation in Hispanic-Brazilian border regions. Thus, the objective of this article is to problematize the language policy currently implemented at the border of Brazil and French Guiana. In order to do so, we will first to give an overview of the language policy, evidencing the changes in the area over five decades. Second, we will attempt explore the history of the bilateral relationship between Brazil and French Guiana, as a way to better understand the constitution of language policies in this frontier territory. At the end, we will analyze studies and official documents that contain data regarding the sociolinguistic situation and issues related to the official, adopted language policy. Based on the data presented in the literature, there is strong evidence of a lack of action by public authorities to promote the teaching of French at the Brazilian border, despite the fact that the language is widely used in social and business relations in the border area. Unlike what is observed in other frontier areas of the national territory, the Brazil-French Guiana border lacks language policy tools to support the local population, such as the “Intercultural Border Schools Program (PEIF)”, a multilateral initiative that provides bilingual education within the framework of MERCOSUL. In light of these findings, we can assume that there is a need for a better understanding of the idiosyncrasies of the Brazil-French Guiana border region, so that the pressing needs of the local population can be considered in the establishment of a language policy adapted to the reality of the border between Brazil and French Guiana.
Keywords:
language policy; French Guiana; boundary
