"evropuli qartia saqarTvelo "European Charter for Regional or ...

The authors of the Charter emphasize already in article 1 that the
term "regional or minority languages" considers a particular category
of a language that could be realized in two (/three) alternative variants
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. The very alternative is expressed by conjunction or (conjunction
and implies two objects while or links alternatives).
Thus, while discussing the Charter’s provisions the term "region-
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al or minority languages" must be used as a single concept term .
It may not be mere coincidence that the famous expert Robert
Dunbar chooses the "Charter of language" rather than the "Charter of
languages" as a contracted version of the "European Charter for Re-
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gional or Minority Languages" .
It is worthy of attention that the ECRML clearly distinguishes between
the terms such as "regional or minority language" and "linguistic
minority" (paragraph 17). It is especially emphasized that "the charter is
able to refrain from defining the concept of linguistic minorities".
Except for the proposed Georgian translations and editions like
"Wikipedia" confusion of terminology is not rare even in case of some
experts; namely:
In English texts two terms with different semantic meaning such
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as: regional or minority language and minority language - a
324 Cf.: “according to the same article, the Charter does not include a state language
(neither its varieties, dialects) and languages of migrants; for discussion see paragraphs
17, 18, 19, 32, 33, 36 and 37 of the explanatory part.
325 Conjunction “and” is indicated in the similar phrase of the explanatory report to the
Charter: traditional regional and minority languages (paragraph 26), though these words
do not denote the unified term in this context; the issue discussed here applies generally
to traditional regional languages and languages of minorities in Europe; Cf.: The aim of
the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members in order to promote
their common heritage and ideals. Linguistic diversity is one of the most precious elements of
the European cultural heritage. The cultural identity of Europe cannot be constructed on the
basis of linguistic standardisation. On the contrary, the protection and strengthening of its
traditional regional and minority languages represents a contribution to the building of
Europe, which, according to the ideals of the members of the Council of Europe, can be
founded only on pluralist principles.
326 Robert Dunbar, “Comments: Relations between the Framework Convention and the
European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages”, Filling the Frame, collection of
documents, 2004, p. 32.
327 Regional or minority language (the Charter term).
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