Multilingualism: A matter of national concern? Assessing Spain’s language policy through the concept of language availability

Abstract

This article analyses the language policy in Spain vis-à-vis its territorial languages other than Spanish, often referred to as regional or minority languages (RMLs). We use the concept of language availability – understood as the possibility of using any official language in the State’s public services – to assess Spain’s degree of (in)compliance of the country’s legal requirements and the legally-binding international commitments on language policy. The application of the concept of language availability to analyse Spain’s language policy – conceived as a public policy – will provide an accurate overview of the current state of affairs regarding the country’s language policy and its commitment to multilingualism.