Qualitative evaluation of language policy: The case of the coexistence of school systems in Andorra

Abstract

In this article, a qualitative analysis is made of a sample of discourses regarding the various school systems in Andorra, and of their influence on the linguistic policies relating to the acquisition of the Catalan language. Based on a corpus of semi-structured interviews with informants considered language policy managers, three types of discourse have been established: a skeptical discourse, according to which the presence of foreign school systems prevents correct language learning for students who are non-native Catalan speakers; an idealistic discourse, which holds that the various school systems socially and culturally enrich the country; and a pragmatic discourse, which assumes that the country could not afford a unified public school system since a substantial part of the costs of the foreign school systems are assumed by the neighboring states.