Divided by a common language : English across national, social, and cultural boundaries (original) (raw)
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and sociolinguistic reality of multi-or plurilingual communities (Kramsch
1991
Drawing on critical theories in linguistics (Fairclough, 1989, 1992), the concept of hegemony (Gramsci, 1971/1991) and mostly ecological linguistics, the authors aim to revisit the process of foreign language learning from the perspective of how learners position themselves in relation to the target language they learn/use (Firth & Wagner, 1997). Questioning the native speaker norms in second language acquisition , as indicated by theoretical considerations and empirical research (Cook, authors of the present paper delve into critical language awareness of foreign language speakers. This, as they claim, may be indicative of power relations inscribed in language use and manifested by learner positioning either as a legitimate language user (empowered) or, alternatively, as an incompetent learner/user (disem-powered and self-marginalized). The included research is a replica of the study carried out on foreign language teacher practitioners (see Lankiewicz, Wąsikiewicz-Firlej, & Szczep...
In his influential book, Imagined Communities (1982), Benedict Anderson proposes that language is more than a marker of identity and has much more than a semiotic sense. Language, Anderson says, has a rhetorical meaning, and thus is capable of generating imagined communities and of constructing particular identities. This volume, imagined and produced by graduate students in the Department of International and Transcultural Studies at Teachers College, Columbia University, draws from the work of students across the college--bilingual education, international educational development, comparative education, curriculum and teaching, teaching of English, teaching English to speakers of other languages, applied linguistics, reading and language arts, speech and language pathology--and the larger university. In so doing, it reflects the multiple perspectives in which the study of languages in society is negotiated across Columbia University, particularly at Teachers College. The volume thus reveals the academic breadth and diversity of a scholarly community interested in the role of languages in communities and in education, across academic departments and disciplines. It is our hope this collection of papers will contribute towards creating a central place for the study of multiple languages and literacies in communities and schools, highlighting the important role that non-dominant languages and discourses play in the lives of many.
Am I in the Book? Imagined Communities and Language Ideologies of English in a Global EFL Textbook
The University of Arizona., 2008
Agradezco a las estudiantes de la LEI y a los maestros de los cursos generales quienes participaron en este estudio, por su tiempo y su buena disposición. To all my friends and colleagues at the University of Arizona, I would like to express my sincere thanks. The experiences we shared when studying, eating, hanging out, dancing, venting, and talking about our present and our future was one of the most important "courses" in my version of the SLAT program. Very special thanks to Cindy Ducar. Llegó a inspirarme de múltiples maneras, inclusive al no estar. A Sara Beaudrie, quién siempre hacía ver que las cosas realmente no eran tan difíciles como parecían ser. Gracias por las vueltas y por la confianza. To Alan Beaudrie, who kindly accepted to edit almost 300 pages in less than a week. Your time, your careful corrections and the stress this may have caused is greatly appreciated. To my writing teachers and buddies: Kim Helmer and Beth Specker. Writing this out was so much easier after having worked with you on Thursday mornings at the Epic Café. I would also like to thank my committee members. To Dr. Richard Ruiz, for the thought provoking questions about language and social justice that were raised throughout this dissertation and throughout my experience as a graduate student at the University of Arizona. To Dr. Jane Hill, whose knowledge and scholarship will always be an inspiration. Thank you for your careful reading and your critical feedback. And to Dr. Linda Waugh, whose warmth and support made my Ph.D. journey so much more bearable. Her role as my mentor, my professor, my advisor and my friend will always be deeply appreciated. Finalmente, quiero agradecer a mi familia. A la familia Minjarez Sosa, en especial a mis suegros, Betina y Fito y mi sobrina Grisita, quienes múltiples veces reacomodaron sus prioridades para darle cabida a las mías. A mi papito, Rolando Cortez, quien muchas veces, me retó a que buscara más allá de mis narices, quien me enseño a tener no solo la mente abierta, sino el corazón también. Esos inicios me llevaron a ser lo que hoy soy. A mi hermana, Denisse Cortez a quien siempre le admiraré su valentía por seguir el camino que ella misma se construye. Es mi ejemplo a seguir. A mi mamita y mejor amiga, Magdalena Román, quien ha sido mi ejemplo de lucha, trabajo y lealtad. Siempre agradeceré su papel tan importante en este último esfuerzo, porque gracias a ella, su tiempo y su trabajo, logré ser mamá, esposa y estudiante de doctorado al mismo tiempo. A mi mejor amigo y esposo, Carlos Minjarez Sosa, por su inagotable amor, su nobleza, su sentido del humor y su apoyo incondicional. Su fe en mi capacidad ha alimentado mis sueños y el cumplimiento de mis retos. Gracias por ser mío. 5 DEDICATION To Aimé Gisaela Minjarez Cortez, the joy of my life who in the past four years has given me the greatest lessons in life: Unconditional love, trust, patience and immediate forgiveness. Gracias por haberme regalado tu tiempo, con tal de que mamá siguiera trabajando. Este esfuerzo es para ti. Para mi nanita-quien siempre creyó en mi. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES….
Introduction English as a Global Language and the Effects on Culture and Identity
English has become a global language with over 380 million people speaking it as their first language and over 200 million people taking it as their second language. Another billion of people are in the process to learn it. English has been majorly associated with the western nations such as US, Canada, or the UK. However, with the world's globalization majorly in the economic sector, English has been seen to play a great role in facilitating communication between people of different linguistic backgrounds. Again, globalization in the education sector where people move to other countries to study has also influenced the development of English. English has become the world's language of communication as it is used in various sectors; for example, commerce, technology, politics, and diplomacy. English is everywhere; we can see it everywhere we move. However, the effects of this globalization have affected the society in various ways; loss of cultural identity is one of the major effects that are associated with the globalization of English. This paper is going to examine the globalization of English and how it affects the language acquisition and cultural identity of the people taking it as a second language like the third world countries in Africa and Asia. Globalization of English its effects on cultural identity The globalization of English language can be understood in various aspects; for example, as an instrument for economic success or the creator of new inequality class, a tool for cross-cultural communication and awareness, and as a passing phase of lingua franca (Johnson, 2009). Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concepts of English globalization and also its effects on cultural identity. This paper examines how second English language learners use English at the expense of their traditional languages. It also examines how second language acquisition influences one's cultural identity. Research evidence from various articles used in this paper confirms that the globalization of English is detrimental to the cultural identity of the given group. Language is considered as one of the most effective ways of determining a person's identity and cultural background. This means that without language, it can be difficult to establish one's cultural identity. Again, many people use English frequently when they communicate; however, as Ged (2013) explains, second language acquisition may lead to the loss of some aspects or knowledge about the first language. The effects of second language acquisition can be both negative and positive. Johnson (2009) explains that globalization of English language and its effects on cultural identity needs to be understood in three main aspects which will be discussed in this paper; for example, English as an instrument for economic success, English as a tool for cross-cultural communication, and also English as a passing phase or lingua franca of the past. Through the analysis of these three major dimensions, we will be able to establish the effects of English globalization on cultural identity.
Societal Multilingualism and World Englishes
This paper explores the extent to which the research insights in two well-defined areas within the field of sociolinguistics, namely, bilingualism/multilingualism and world Englishes, need to be incorporated in the teaching of ESOL and in our teacher training programs. While the former includes notions like speech communities, verbal repertoire, language transfer, codemixing/switching and domains, the latter is concerned with issues like identity and target model norms. The contributions of the above fields are critical particularly now, for no longer are ESL users primarily from the post-colonial communities, nor is English primarily a language to communicate exclusively with the native speaker. This paper introduces some of the relevant sociolinguistic concepts and offers concrete suggestions for incorporating critical research insights from bilingualism/multilingualism and world Englishes, in the hope that it would help prepare teachers for the 21st Century and beyond, whether in ESL-using country like India or any of the inner circle countries.
Book of Abstracts ISA RC25 Language and Society - Research Advances in Social Sciences
Language and Society. Research Advances in Social Sciences International Conference of RC25 ISA, 2019
The conference aims to foster discussion among sociologists, sociolinguists, and other social scientists about the relations between language and society. This edition of the Language and Society. Research Advances in Social Sciences international conference covers two main scopes. The first scope is related to gender and children equality in liberal and conservative discourses. The purpose is to shed light on how these discourses inform about the preferences, the behaviors, and the representations toward: gender positions and what is expected or not of these positions; children/parental positions; gendered children. This scope includes both the support and the resistance towards children's expected positions interlinked to their gender. The second scope is based on RC25 core approach: looking at language rather than solely through language. All communications which look at language in this sense are welcome, as all theoretical and methodological frameworks that can be used to create sociological analyses of language. For instance, a non-exhaustive list of potential topics for this second scope is: • Language and power • Language in public and private spheres • Multilingualism and plurilingualism • Language and transnationalism • Language and migration • Language and global network • Language and identity • Language and intersectional positioning in public and private sphere • Language policies • To enhance knowledge dissemination beyond linguistic borders, scholars are welcome to present the literature they are using and which is not available in English. English is the official communication language for the conference. However, scholars are welcome to show their visual presentation in another language (French or Spanish are the official languages of ISA). RC 25 Language & Society is a research committee of the International Sociological Association. The objective of the Research Committee on Language and Society is to advance sociological knowledge concerning language in interaction and in systems of representation. Members are united by the desire to look at rather than through systems of communication.