A Bibliometric Analysis of Language Legislation Research From 2005 to 2023

Language legislation, given its importance in language rights, has received increasing attention over the past decades. This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature on language legislation from 2005 to 2023. By utilizing VOSViewer and CiteSpace, we have visualized and analyzed the scientific outputs, intellectual structure, and evolving research trends in this field. The main findings are summarized as follows. First, there has been a notable increase in the number of publications on language legislation over the past two decades, with “ The Language Situation in Luxembourg” emerging as the most influential publication. Eva Pons Parera stands out as the most prolific author, while the Journal of Language and Law is identified as the most impactful journal. The University of Barcelona and Spain are recognized as the leading institution and country in terms of productivity. Second, the central areas in language legislation research include language and law, and the sociology of language, with the multilingual legislation, the multi-domain application of language legislation, and the advocacy for language rights among minority groups are pinpointed as the hotspots. Third, future research is likely to center on the formulation, implementation and evaluation of language laws, especially concerning minority and disabled groups; the protection of language rights; and the management of linguistic pluralism on an international scale. Overall, these findings provide a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders, offering insights into the current state and future directions of language legislation research.