Existential sociolinguistics and existential justice: Addressing minority-language issues in multilingual societies

This study explores the way an existential sociolinguistic paradigm helps to deconstruct the oppression and exclusion of minority or indigenous languages in multilingual societies in the Global North and in the Global South. It uses the theoretical framework of existential sociolinguistics and the method of philosophical reflection to address the question: How can existential sociolinguistics foster existential justice in building more humane relations (BMHR) among languages within multilingual societies? It argues that existential justice as an overarching justice encompasses all models of justice and should help promote an attitude of linguistic intercultural solidarity and a treatment of dignity towards all languages. This study concludes that laws and policies about languages in modern multilingual societies need to overcome econotechnocracy, that is, a world order in which economic and technological powers subordinate justice, democracy, and the legitimacy of less-powerful nations, cultures, and languages. This suggests that all existing languages deserve dignifying treatment.