Africa-Press – Cape verde. On Wednesday, in the city of Praia, linguist Eleutério Moreira advocated for the creation of a framework law on language policy to address existing gaps in national legislation and to bolster the valorization of the Cape Verdean language.
Eleutério Moreira shared these views with Inforpress following the release of a proposed framework law on language policy in Cape Verde—a proposal intended to serve as a reference point for the upcoming parliamentary cycle, following the legislative elections scheduled for May 17.
The researcher explained that the proposal is the culmination of several years of academic study, undertaken as part of a doctoral program in Linguistics at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain); its aim is to translate academic knowledge into a practical contribution for the country.
As he explained, the proposal—which has been under development since 2022—seeks to provide parliamentary candidates, as well as society at large, with a tool for reflection and in-depth analysis regarding this subject.
“A Member of Parliament need not be a specialist, but they play a decisive role. Having access to tools of this nature fosters greater knowledge and commitment in the decision-making process,” he emphasized.
According to Moreira, the project originated from the observation of limitations within Decree 32/2015—the legislation currently in force in the country regarding the valorization of the Cape Verdean language.
“The decree is not a foundational law, which creates vulnerabilities in the regulation of fundamental rights,” he asserted, noting that—unlike sectors such as Health and Education—Language is an essential instrument for the exercise of these rights, yet it currently lacks a comprehensive, structural legal framework.
According to the same source, this absence hinders the effective realization of rights such as education, freedom of expression, and equitable access to information; he argued that a framework law would enable a more consistent and cohesive approach to national language policy.
He underscored that language policy should be viewed as “a pillar of sovereignty, education, and social peace.” It also addressed the need for a foundational legal framework capable of overcoming the absence of lasting consensus.
The document proposes a set of guiding principles, including the assurance of ethics and transparency in language standardization processes, the valorization of the Cape Verdean language (*Berdiánu*) in all its variants, and the promotion of a more inclusive and human-centered education system.
Among the measures presented, particular emphasis is placed on the formal recognition of both the Cape Verdean language and the Portuguese language as official languages, as well as the formal enshrining of Cape Verdean Sign Language as the natural language of the deaf community, granting it rights equivalent to those of spoken languages.
The proposal further provides for the creation of a National Council on Language Policy, vested with advisory and oversight functions, as well as the implementation of mandatory public consultation mechanisms within language standardization processes.
The author also advocates for the preservation of the diversity of linguistic variants, rejecting processes of arbitrary standardization and promoting the principle of “prestige parity” among the different varieties.
The proposal is set to be made available to the public, and the author remains open to receiving contributions and requests for clarification. Furthermore, the linguist intends to reach out to parliamentary candidates to encourage them to read the proposal and to sign a pledge of support for its discussion in Parliament, should it be formally submitted.
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