Demokratizace spisovné češtiny a ideologie jazykové kultury po roce 1948
The Democratization of Standard Czech and the Ideology of Language Culture after 1948

Summary/Abstract: This paper is concerned with the so-called democratization of Standard Czech. The usage of this concept by the prominent Czech linguists Bohuslav Havranek and Petr Sgall is analyzed. The analysis is based on the assumption that discussions about language cultivation are in principle ideologically and politically based. It has been found that Havranek’s usage of the concept of democratization of Standard Czech does indeed reflect his basic aims: the maintenance of the Theory of Language Cultivation developed by the Prague Linguistic Circle and continuation of the practice of language cultivation. Sgall’s usage of this concept is determined by his aims, i.e. the gradual identification of Standard and Common Czech. The paper concludes that the usage of the concept of democratization of Standard Czech is politically motivated, i.e. it is one of the means to achieve a change in the society.

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