This article deals with the language policy measures recently adopted by the European Union (EU) and aims to highlight some problematic and contradictory points. The analysis focuses on two specific aspects: a) maintenance and protection of minority languages, and b) 'work languages' institutional regime. A critical interpretation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (1998) allows for the identification, discussion and evaluation of both the positive and negative aspects which characterise this legal document. Theoretical and practical contradictions become more evident when 'work languages' are considered within the Institutions since the rich European multilingualism is sacrificed to an embarrassing English monopoly.

Since its creation in 1867, Canada is founded on a political compromise between two founding nations that gave an equal status to distinct legal traditions both expressed in two official languages. In order to fulfill these ideals, however, Canadian jurists must assimilate two legal cultures and languages, an expertise far from reach for everyday citizens, and probably even from a majority of jurists themselves! This paper aims to present in a critical manner the legal discourse surrounding the implementation of bilingualism and bijuridism in Canadian law. In our opinion, the Canadian example highlights the methodological and terminological challenges related to the recognition of two languages and legal traditions within the same legal order.

In the framework of humanitarian mediation, multilingual communication has a strong cultural component. This article begins by situating the Other in a global fashion, and then goes on to view ways in which a balance of perception can be established between those involved by working out a precise, rigorous diagnosis to shed light on the conceptions, feelings and intentions of all concerned, illustrated by several examples. Amongst the tools used, mention should be made of distancing, decentring, intercultural competence and Natural Semantic Metalanguage.

If a language policy, inspired by at least some issues of the New Multilingualism, is to be Europeanised, language policy makers should accept (1) that multilingualism is "normal", monolingualism is exceptional ; (2) that multilingualism is interdependently connected with factors such as economy, politics, sociale welfare and education ; (3) that not one but several language policies may be possible and necessary. Language policy is not a uniform, centralistic or hierarchic device and must be based on a non-discriminatory subsidiarity principle, perhaps in connection with a language-planning coordination centre which would encourage further research, take care of the application of research results and try to support and ameliorate the situation of those 50-70 million minority speakers within the European Union who could, with their multilingual and multicultural heritage, develop an attitude to a better understanding and to the neutralisation of conflicts. In such a way European language policies are not only possible but imperative.

Bilingualism can be approached either according to a traditional approach of languages as separately identifiable, describable and usable objects or through the observation of ordinary speech practices, i.e. language in action, analysis viewing languages as socially-constructed, unstable objects, which can be variably categorized according to practical ends in the course of action. This approach has been chosen as the framework of the present paper for the analysis of bilingual interactions. Two kinds of observations are made: far from being merely analyzable in terms of code-switching, bilingual interaction has to be described in finer strata, from linguistic sub-systems to ways of speaking and addressing participants in which discourse is jointly realized through the adjustment of such resources to the on-going action. Thus embodying languages in meaning-making social practices leads to questioning drastically reducing and lethal models for language planning which are founded on academic approaches of bilingualism.

The languages spoken in Taiwan belong partly to the Austronesian linguistic family, and partly to the Chinese languages. The article deals with the state of standardization of the written languages. Besides, the historical origin and the differential status of the Austronesian and Han ethnic groups in the Taiwanese society are described. Language vitality is linked to the social characteristics of the ethnic groups. Finally, the question is raised whether multilingualism can be officially accepted.

Plurilingual face-to-face collaboration becomes increasingly important in the academic world, due to the rapid development of international networks. One means for managing plurilingual encounters is informal oral translation, carried out by participants when the need arises. A conversation analysis of translation sequences in scientific meetings shows that researchers translate not only to establish intercomprehension, but also in order to emphasize elements of discourse and to state argumentative positions. Rather than being a mere transposition from one language into another, translation thus shapes the contents being developed. Moreover, it allows a description of some form of exploitation of linguistics resources in a particular social activity.