Exploring Modern Nation-state Language Planning from the perspective of the Covid-19: A Case Study of Pakistan and China

Abstract

Since the beginning of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to light the issue of linguistic barriers within many national cultures, and multilingual crisis communication has become an international concern. The objective reality of language diversity has not been methodically included into crisis management and emergency preparedness plans. The inattention to linguistic diversity has resulted under challenges for ethnic minorities around the globe to obtain timely and useful information, so compromising the efficacy of emergency response to an outbreak. 'Marginalized' populations are frequently most severely and directly impacted negatively by language and communication obstacles. The development of multilingual societies and language planning in the two nations following their establishment are reviewed in this article, which also examines the significance of multinational languages in the language planning process in both nations. In order to inform and advise the two countries on the development of sound language policies and operational mechanisms for managing language resources and constructing a community of human destiny, it also makes an effort to explore, through the case of the multilingual crisis, the various factors that influenced the formulation and adjustment of language policies in the two countries. It also highlights the treatment of internal diversity, especially linguistic diversity, in the mid- to late 20th century as the two countries were transforming into modern states. The methodological approach is qualitative which more focuses on the documented primary and secondary sources.