Intro-1 Copyright 2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Communication Skills for...

Intro-1 Copyright 2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia

Introduction

The cultural politics of English as an

international language


Is the spread of English ‘natural’? 700 million – 1 billion English speakers

worldwide. Prevailing view: ‘The world has opted for

English, and the world knows what it wants, what will satisfy its needs.’ (Hindmarsh 1978, p. 42)

Generally, the spread of English is considered to be ‘natural, neutral and beneficial’ (Pennycook 1994, p. 9).

English is seen to be the result of inevitable global forces.


Is the spread of English ‘natural’? (cont.) Assumption: international communication

occurs on a cooperative and equitable footing. Little consideration has been given to the

inequities of colonialism and the imposition of one language/culture onto another.


Social, cultural and political contexts of English Q1 Do individuals and countries really have a

‘choice’ about using English? Q2 Can any language be free of cultural and

political influences? Q3 Why do many people argue that English is

somehow ‘neutral’?


Social, cultural and political contexts of English (cont.) Widespread use of English potentially

threatens other languages. English has become the language of power

and prestige (effectively preventing many people’s access to economic progress).

English regulates the international flow of people.

English is bound up with the spread of capitalism and cultural dominance (particularly by the USA).


Social, cultural and political contexts of English (cont.) English is the language of imperialism and

particular class interests. English causes ‘linguistic curtailment’. As the

first choice for students of a second language, it pushes other languages out of the way. (Pennycook 1994, p. 14)

In some countries (e.g. USA and Australia) ‘language politics’ has replaced race politics (e.g. migrants to Australia score higher if they speak English).


Popular culture and academic knowledge English is dominant in popular culture.

– Popular music, film, literature, sport English is dominant in academic relations.

– Large proportion of textbooks, international journals There is dependence on Western forms of

knowledge (which may not be relevant to local contexts).

Many countries model their universities on Western models (using English).

In many countries (e.g. India) the elite class is English-educated.


Popular culture and academic knowledge (cont.) In some countries English ‘stands as a barrier

between the student and a meaningful education’. (90% of secondary education is in English.)

BUT, it is a passport to social and economic privilege.

The spread of English ‘has become part of the process whereby one part of the world has become politically, economically and culturally dominated by another’ (Naysmith 1987, cited in Pennycook 1994, p. 21).


‘English linguistic imperialism’ ‘The dominance of English is asserted and

maintained by the establishment and continuous reconstitution of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages.’ (Phillipson 1992, cited in Pennycook 1994, p. 22)


English linguistic imperialism (cont.) Some authors argue that the UK and the USA

have encouraged the spread of English because it brings those countries economic and political advantages (Skutnab-Kangas and Phillipson 1989, in Pennycook 1994, p. 22).

English dominates law (and therefore prevents access to positions of influence).


English and Western models of thinking Language is the carrier of a society’s

perceptions, attitudes, values, habits and goals.

Q What is the effect of educating one (privileged) group of society in one language, and other groups in another language?


‘Standards’ of English There is not one ‘correct’ or universal dialect of

English. There is no such thing as a ‘native speaker’ in

the sense of a person being able to claim an inherent hold on the full extent of the language (Paikeday 1985, cited in Willinsky 1998, p. 194)

However, in practice, there is the perception that some people speak ‘better’ English than others.


‘Standards’ of English (cont.) Native speakers of English often feel the need

to ‘maintain standards’, but those standards coincide with the maintenance of privileges by nation, race, gender and class (Willinsky 1998, p. 197).

It is important to consider English in its social, cultural and political contexts.


Using English is more than speaking English Using English implies relationships to:

– social and economic privilege– certain forms of culture and knowledge– global relations of capitalism– ideas about democracy, economics, the

environment, popular culture, development, education, etc. (Pennycook 1994, p. 34).


Using English critically ‘The very concept of an international or world

language was an invention of Western imperialism.’ (Ndebele 1987, pp. 3–4, cited in Pennycook 1994, p. 36)

As speakers, learners (and teachers!) of English, we all need to be critically aware of the implications of the global spread of English.

We can resist certain practices and create our own meanings with the language.


Language and global understanding ‘…unfortunately we know far more about how

to help the world learn English (little though that may be) than we do about how to help native speakers of English learn about the world’ (Fishman 1977, p. 335, cited in Willinsky 1998, p. 194).


Questions to consider1. How did you come to learn English? (e.g. at

home, primary/secondary school, private classes, university, etc.)

2. What motivated you (or your parents) to learn English?

3. How has being bilingual shaped your experiences?

4. Do you think differently in English than you do in your first language? How so?


Questions to consider (cont.)5. What do you hope to achieve by gaining a

degree from an Australian university?6. Do you consider your bilingualism an

advantage or a hindrance to your studies?7. Will you use English in your future career?

Where? How?8. Has learning English changed your

perceptions of your own culture?

Intro-1 Copyright 2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Communication Skills for...

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