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Solution Assignment No.02 ENG506

The document defines linguistic imperialism as the dominance and maintenance of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages. It was coined in the 1930s as criticism of basic English and further developed by Robert Phillipson in 1992. Phillipson viewed it as a form of linguicism that benefits the dominant language. Some implications are that it manifests as favoring the dominant language over others, allocating more resources to it, and encouraging beliefs that it is more prestigious. Paradoxes include that adopting foreign cultures can drive language change, imperialism uses language and culture for control, and language is linked to power and politics.

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868 views2 pages

Solution Assignment No.02 ENG506

The document defines linguistic imperialism as the dominance and maintenance of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages. It was coined in the 1930s as criticism of basic English and further developed by Robert Phillipson in 1992. Phillipson viewed it as a form of linguicism that benefits the dominant language. Some implications are that it manifests as favoring the dominant language over others, allocating more resources to it, and encouraging beliefs that it is more prestigious. Paradoxes include that adopting foreign cultures can drive language change, imperialism uses language and culture for control, and language is linked to power and politics.

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AASIM RAZA
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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World Englishes (Eng506)

Spring 2021
Assignment No. 2
Total Marks: 20
Student ID: BC200402310

Q1. According Robert Philipson’s proposition, ‘The spread of English is a kind of linguistic
imperialism”. Keeping this in mind provide the definition of ‘linguistic imperialism’ as given by
Robert Philipson and list SIX implications of linguistic imperialism for the world? Also enlist three
paradox of linguistic imperialism.

ANSWER

The term “Linguistic Imperialism” originated in the 1930s as a part of a critique of basic English and was
reintroduced by linguist Robert Phillipson in his monograph “linguistic imperialism” (Oxford University
Press 1992). In that study Phillipson offered this working definition of English linguistic imperialism.

“The dominance asserted and maintained by the establishment and continuous reconstitution of
structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages”. Phillipson viewed linguistic
imperialism as a subtype of linguicism.

Linguistic Imperialism is the imposition of one language on speakers of other language. It is also know as
linguistic nationalism, linguistic dominance and language imperialism. In our time the global expansion
of English has often been cited as the primary example of Linguistic Imperialism.

Six Implications of Linguistic Imperialism:-

1. Linguistic Imperialism is a form of linguicism which benefits and grants power to the dominating
/ oppressing language and its speakers.
2. As a form of linguicism, which manifests in favoring the dominant language over another along
similar lines as a racism and sexism.
3. As a structurally manifested idea, where more resources and infrastructure are given to the
dominant language.
4. As being ideological, in that it encourages beliefs that dominant language form is more
prestigious than others. These ideas are hegemonic and internalized and naturalized as being
“normal”.
5. As having an exploitative essence, which causes injustice and inequality between those who use
the dominant language and those who do not.
6. As having a subtractive influence on other languages, in that learning the dominant language is at
the expenses of others.

Paradox of Linguistic Imperialism:-


1. Adoption of foreign culture is one of the causes for language change, and there is remarkably
high tendency with the youth to emulate and acquire culture.
2. Imperialism almost always made use of language and culture to hegemonic purposes.
3. Language is a vibrant phenomenon, which is linked with power and politics. Like education,
language has also been used by colonial powers to control ‘others’.

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