Foreign Language Policy

Abstract

In the course of development, most countries have explicitly or implicitly acknowledged the importance of national language as well as foreign language(s). Language is considered as one of the most important of the three connected phenomena: language, nation and development (Lee and Suryadinata, 2007). Over their history, Asian countries have changed their language policies to retain their identities, and at the same time to adapt to globalization. Vietnam is not different. The country has struggled to promulgate language policies that can maintain national identity, and simultaneously embrace opportunities to relate with other nations.