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

Globalization and increased human mobility have made multilingualism a reality, highlighting the inherent complexity of language policy within institutions. Existing language policy theories, such as the onion model, have proven useful but are challenged by the practices of individual agents in diverse multilingual settings. This study focuses on the unique context of International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), which exhibit a decentralized language policy compared to Multinational Corporations (MNCs) and International Governmental Organizations (IGOs). Unlike MNCs with clear national affiliations and profit motives, and IGOs with political constraints, INGOs often diffuse decision-making authority across staff and organizational levels, granting regional offices autonomy in addressing localized situations. This research explores how an INGO office (ICOM China) localized its headquarters' multilingual language policy to meet communication needs within its sociolinguistic context, using an ethnographic approach to understand how communication problems were solved on the ground.

Existing research on facilitating message flow in multilingual workplaces utilizes terms like "language broker" and "language node." Language brokers mediate communication between linguistically and culturally different parties, going beyond mere translation. Studies initially focused on language brokering in immigrant families, later expanding to multilingual workplaces, where it was shown to enhance the power of brokers. In MNCs, "language node" describes expatriates mediating between headquarters and subsidiaries; this role is often linked to powerful positions but can also create information barriers. While studies have explored how institutionalized language policy shapes individual practices, fewer have examined the reverse—how individual practices shape language policy, particularly in INGOs and traditionally monolingual contexts. This study aims to address this gap, focusing on how individuals in ICOM China resolve communication problems to coordinate activities both internally and in global events.

This study employed an Ethnography of Language Policy approach to provide a thick description of communication problem-solving within ICOM's National Committee of China. Ethnographic investigation, being holistic and contextualized, allows examination of both explicit and implicit language policy processes. The research setting was ICOM China's Beijing office, a branch of a large international museum organization with official languages of English, French, and Spanish. Data collection spanned three and a half months, including the biennial MPT-EXPO event, involving participants from 39 countries. Data sources included policy documents, working documents, manuals, event brochures, audio/video recordings, interviews (six staff members, including language brokers, nodes, and other staff), and field notes. Data triangulation was ensured through regular debriefing sessions with an independent researcher. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify emerging themes related to individual roles in communication and the formation and implementation of language policy.

The study identified two staff members, Eyre (Vice-Secretary) and Clara (Foreign Affairs Specialist), as language brokers. Their roles involved mediating communication, making decisions in both planned (e.g., panels) and unplanned (e.g., addressing immediate problems) scenarios, and demonstrating micro-language planning. Eyre, with higher authority, operated in more formal settings, while Clara worked in less formal contexts. One volunteer, Misha, acted as a language node, initiating problem-solving in dispersed activities. Others (the Chair, Martin, Chen, and Heng) did not function as brokers or nodes, often due to their position and English proficiency. The office's overt recruitment policy emphasized English proficiency as an entry requirement, creating a talent pool for language brokers and nodes. A covert policy converted international experience into symbolic capital, influencing position allocation and power dynamics. The study found that ICOM China's multilingual language policy localized to primarily use Chinese internally and English externally, reflecting both cost considerations and language ideology within the context of China's English-focused foreign language education policy. The decision to use primarily English for external communication, while seemingly practical, can marginalize non-English speakers and potentially indicates a preference for English even when other official languages are technically available. This dominance of English was influenced by both individual and institutional language ideologies (English as THE language and not just A language), as well as cost considerations and the readily available pool of English speakers in the local context.

This ethnographic study highlights ICOM China as a meeting place of formal top-down policies and informal bottom-up practices. The categorization of staff into language brokers and nodes showcases how individual agency interacts with institutional language policy. Language brokers' "legitimate domination" stems from their communication skills and socio-cultural understanding, coupled with their position. The emergence of these roles demonstrates institutional agency in solving communication problems, representing a strategic decision to meet communication needs effectively. The findings demonstrate the interplay between overt (English proficiency as a job requirement) and covert (international experience as symbolic capital) language policies in shaping roles and the localization of the international language policy within a traditionally monolingual context. This localization reflects the status of English as the global lingua franca, China's foreign language education policy, and the individuals' language ideology within the organization. The findings challenge the idealized notion of multilingualism as a goal in language policy, showing how practical, cost-effective solutions shape language practices, even within international organizations with explicit multilingual policies.

This study reveals the complex interplay of top-down and bottom-up forces in shaping language policy within an INGO. The emergence of language brokers and nodes is a manifestation of institutional agency in addressing communication challenges within a specific sociolinguistic context. The study's findings highlight the localized adaptation of the ICOM International's multilingual policy, emphasizing English for external communication, a decision influenced by practicality, cost-effectiveness, and broader language ideologies. Future research should explore further the dynamics of language policy localization in similar settings, focusing on other INGOs and different linguistic contexts.

The study focuses on a single INGO office in China, limiting the generalizability of findings. While the researchers sought data triangulation, subjective biases inherent in ethnographic research might still affect the interpretation of findings. The research is also limited to a specific time frame, preventing a full understanding of long-term effects of the described language policy. Further research that uses a larger sample and longitudinal studies could strengthen the findings and address some of the present limitations.