The Hegemony of English as a Global Language: Reclaiming Local Knowledge and Culture in China.

Abstract

English has become the dominant global language of communication, business, aviation, entertainment, diplomacy and the intemet. Govemments as well as some scholars appear to be accepting such a spread of English uncritically. However, we argue that the increasing dominance of the English language is contributing to neocolonialism by empowering the already powerful and leaving the disadvantaged further behind, an issue that needs attention. Specifically, we discuss how English as a dominant language worldwide is forcing an unfamiliar pedagogical and social culture on to its leamers, along the way socio-psychologically, linguistically and politically putting them in danger of losing tueir first languages, cultures and identities, and contributing to the devaluation of local knowledge and cultures. Drawing on the work of critical theorists who have drawn our attention to the close relationship between language and power, we show how the global spread of English is not only a product of colonialism, but also the most potent instmment of cultural control and cultural constmct of colonialism. We call for more inclusive and egalitarian language policies and practices and suggest some new strategies that may be Convergence, Volume XL, Number 1-2, 2007