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Language policy in Latvia

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Articles 4 and 114 of the Constitution of Latvia form the foundation for language policy in Latvia, declaring Latvian to be the official state language and affirming the rights of ethnic minorities to preserve and develop their languages.[1] Livonian language is recognized as "the language of the indigenous (autochthon) population" in the Official Language Law, but Latgalian written language is protected as "a historic variant of Latvian." All other languages are considered foreign by the Law on State Language (Official Language Law in other translations).[2] Latvia provides national minority education programmes in Russian (the first language for over one third of the population),[3] Polish, Hebrew, Ukrainian, Estonian, Lithuanian, and Belarusian.[4]

The preamble to the Official Language Law includes as its goals "the integration of members of ethnic minorities into the society of Latvia, while observing their rights to use their native language or other languages; [and] the increased influence of Latvian in the cultural environment of Latvia, to promote a more rapid integration of society."[2]

  1. ^ "The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia". likumi.lv. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Official Language Law". likumi.lv. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  3. ^ "At home Latvian is spoken by 62% of Latvian population; the majority – in Vidzeme and Lubāna county". Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia. 26 August 2013.
  4. ^ "Minority education: statistics and trends". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.

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