Title: COMPETING ROLES OF THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH IN MALAYSIA AND THE PHILIPPINES: PLANNING, POLICY AND USE
Abstract: This paper examines the impact of language planning and language policy in the competing roles of the national language and English in the educational system of Malaysia and the Philippines.These countries have emphasised the national language (i.e.Malay in Malaysia and Filipino in the Philippines) to foster national unity, and the international language-English for global communication.Educational expansion as documented with globalisation has also repositioned the role of the English language.While English has become a necessary tool to increase competitiveness in the global market, calls to 'switch back' or 'retain' the national language to instil a sense of national unity has also been equally advocated.Although planning and policy may have specific objectives, these may not be reflected in actual language use.The findings of this study reveal the social reality of contrasting language planning and policy initiatives in Malaysia and the Philippines and the actual use of these languages. Language Policy and GlobalisationEducational expansion is documented globally in line with the rising call for internationalisation and globalisation of services (Symaco, 2011;Shoefer & Meyer, 2005).Relevant to this expansion of educational services is the rise of globalisation which similarly dictates the circumstance besetting educational institutions.Globalisation is one of the more prominent features of the modern world and also relevant to the increasing access to educational services in the world at large.Various definitions of globalisation in general have been suggested and Beerkens (2003, p.130) summarises a few approaches in an effort to define globalisation.The different conceptualisations inherent in globalisation which are to be discussed are said to be distinctive through the points of reference of their 'past' and 'new' realities.That is to say a shift in 'type' from one stage to the other due to historical, political and cultural changes.With reference to the above definitions, economic trade through capitalist growth provides the basis for the worldwide expansion which marks out the 'global' from the local.The nation state is thus viewed as part of a world system of nation states, and, in globalisation, the strengthening of this process of interconnectedness and the simultaneous evolution and erosion of the nation state can be observed.The second concept of authority or power informs the capacity of governments for international competition.The change of power or authority defines the "deterritorialisation" of states (Beerkens, 2003), which in their past realities are limited to clearly defined areas of regulated space.The third conceptualisation of 'global' in terms of culture associates globalisation with the integration of traditions and customs.A considerable argument has been made over the imbalanced