An individual language can be seen as the whole continuum of all the different communication practices which take place or wish to do so in that language. Criteria of language intention function when other, at least apparently solid formal criteria, fail. Looking on a language as a continuum facilitates a comprehensive, inclusive look at the language and the language community, while at the same time raising questions of the need for, reasonableness and practicality of different divisions of this continuum. The thesis is put forward that one generally valid division is not reasonable, either from the theoretical or applicable, language-planning point of view.
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