An ethnographic study of multilingual language policy localization with a focus on the resolution of communication problems in international Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs)

Taking the China Office of an international Non-governmental Organization (INGO) as its site of study, this article analyzed how an international multilingual language policy was localized by focusing on the solving of communication problems. It was found that overt and covert language policies work together to form a talent pool of potential language broker and language node, who functioned in solving communication problems in planned and unplanned scenarios. The emergence of language broker and language node in INGOs demonstrates on one hand, the exercise of individual and institutional agency in solving communication problems; on the other hand, the interaction of language policy at different layers (international-national-institutional) in shaping individual’s language practice. The article contributes to the study of language policy in post-modern era by providing a conceptualization of language policy localization process that centers around solving communication problems in INGO work places.

Yun Zhao, Ronghui Zhao, Yuanyuan Liu