ABSTRACT
The continuing constitutional debate in Canada and the apparent intractability of the issue of provincial-federal relations draws attention to one of the most fundamental challenges facing many contemporary states: devising a system of government for a multilingual society such that different linguistic groups can give it their allegiance. The Canadian dilemma needs thus to be seen in the context of a more general conflict between languages-conflict between individuals and between communities, of course, but also conflict within the individual.
