The Limits of language as a transporter/ marker of identity: the case of Polish EU accession

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Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Middle East Technical University, Turkey

Approval Date: 2012

Thesis Language: English

Student: Cansu Dinçer

Supervisor: BAŞAK ZEYNEP ALPAN

Abstract:

This thesis analyses the relationship between identity and language by evaluating Poland’s accession to the European Union. It suggests that at the national level, language is a constructer and transporter of identity, which is created and recreated as part of a political programme. Thus, it questions the role of language as an identity transporter/ marker at the EU level. Within this framework, arguing that the European identity is created by the European elites, establishment of the European identity in Poland will be discussed and the role of language in the European identity formation process in Poland will be examined. The thesis will also evaluate the results of the language policies and multilingualism that aim to establish the European identity in Poland, and will draw attention to the results such as the dominance of Anglo-Saxon culture and English. Finally, by making use of Poland’s EU accession, the thesis will point out the limits of language as an identity transporter/ marker at the EU level.