Resumen de Language and development: theories and sobering realities

Paulin G. Djité

• This article examines the concepts of “linguistic capital” and “language capital” in the light of existing sociolinguistic and economic situations, and in the wider context of the link between language and development. Are these new concepts more operational than the previous paradigm that equated monolingualism with economic development? Is “linguistic capital” or “language capital” an objective determinant of economic growth? The article concludes that, besides other more complex historical and economic factors, there is no objective evidence of a connection between these concepts (i.e. “linguistic capital” and “language capital”) and the purported economic relevance of any given language.