In this pallet research presentation, we explore the concept of linguistic imperialism and its implications for language diversity, cultural identity, and global communication.

This has a variety of effects not only on society but on individuals around the world. Through researching and developing an understanding of the consequences of linguistic imperialism, hopefully, you can gain some understanding of how important it is to preserve linguistic diversity. 

We will explore the background of linguistic imperialism, its importance and relevance, followed by some examples and a call to action.

Some languages are spoken by fewer people and are minority languages, they can be eroded by the idea that widely spoken prominent languages are superior, despite how important and rich in cultural significance the minority languages may be. English is such a widespread language that is prominent in academia, business, tech, etc. Through the dominance of English, we can see a lack of linguistic diversity, and even an inequity as not everyone has the means to learn this language and therefore, are at a disadvantage. The rest of this pallet will delve even deeper into the significance and relevance of this issue by highlighting some examples and encouraging people to take on the role of an advocate to help preserve the integrity of minority languages despite the dominance of more powerful languages.

Currently, the Market forces are strengthening the position of English members in the European Union, this is causing some people to see the EU as having language policies that contain linguistic imperialism.

English has become the lingua franca of the world making connections with people across the globe more efficient. Countries around the world have rich and diverse languages. By preserving the integrity of these different languages we promote diversity and culture. However, in many cases, these languages are being eroded by other dominating languages. 

When an empire conquered another country they learned that it was easier to colonize the people who thought that they were a part of the colonizing nation. They did this by imposing their official language on the colonized country. After the colonies slowly started to gain independence the language that they had been taught remained, and the oppressed retained the native language. Language is a defining part of a colony or country and it is important to recognize the effects that Linguistic Imperialism had. We also still see countries using the languages that were imposed on them when they were colonized. 

But in the world at large today many of the colonized nations have learned to incorporate the colonized language into their native languages creating many different dialects of English. British Creole dialects of the language developed in most colonies in the Caribbean, Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. British Creole dialects are a combination of English and the languages of the colonies. For example, Jamaican Patois is a British creole dialect that combines English and the Jamaican Language. There are also communities that exist far from the grasp of linguistic imperialism like the Piraha of the Amazon. Even though there are some dominant languages there are a few less dominant languages that are fighting to keep their integrity intact and make themselves known in the world. So despite the dominance of English, it has aided in the growth of so many other languages spoken worldwide.

Linguistic Imperialism attempts to explain why some languages are more dominant than others in society. It is used to explain how languages from Europe were established in other continents and suppressed languages, like those of Kurdish in Turkey or Uyghur in China.

Linguistic Imperialism began in the early 1930s. As countries began to participate in the race for colonial power linguistic imperialism became more valuable. Colonizers imposed their language on the colonies to create channels of convenient communication. These channels of communication in turn helped to spread their trade across the colonies and widen their stronghold over time. It was also a way of influencing people's worldviews and perspectives on things and events happening globally at the time. The colonized felt that knowing the colonizer's language gave them better access to education, employment and social status. Example The Indigenous people took the path of intermarriage with the colonizers so that they would learn the language to receive social status and better access to trade routes. 

In the process of imposing their language on the colonized, the colonialists virtually altered the fundamental foundations of various languages which in turn wiped out the culture and traditions of those regions. Thus, linguistic imperialism dehumanized a host of cultures. When people speak a  language they exert their position within the culture and assume the culture as their own. When a language is imposed upon them it forces them to conform to a language and culture alien to them. This creates a gap between one's inner self and the way one expresses themselves in the language imposed on them (Ananya Ravishankar, 2020). Therefore linguistic imperialism had its benefits but these benefits were more for the powerful entities in the equation.

Relevance of Linguistic Imperialism 

Linguistic imperialism is an ongoing evolving phenomenon in our world. For example in Singapore education is primarily taught in English, leading to more than half the population using English as their home language. 

Conversely, many languages in Finland and Sweden have created policies to ensure their universities are working towards preserving national languages from the ravages of linguistic imperialism through education. Simo Bobda highlighted how Cameroon has moved away from monocultural and British-centric methods of teaching English and has gradually adapted its teaching materials to the Cameroonian context. Non-Western themes such as chieftain rule, traditional medicine, and polygamy are also covered. Bobda also advocates for bicultural education in Cameroon. Iceland is also trying to preserve their national language using generative AI through a process where regular users of the language contribute scripts so that artificially intelligent systems can grasp the grammar and syntax of the language

Currently, the Market forces are strengthening the position of English members in the European Union, this is causing some people to see the EU as having language policies that contain linguistic imperialism. 

https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-effects-of-politics-imperialism-on-language.html#:~:text=Linguistic%20imperialism%20also%20had%20practical,in%20which%20 all%20education%20 occurred.

Ravishankar, A. (n.d.). Linguistic Imperialism: Colonial Violence through Language. Retrieved November 5, 2023, from https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1086&context=trinitypapers#:~:text=Ananya%20Ravishankar

Obukadeta, P. (2010). Linguistic Imperialism. Acadmia.org. https://academia.edu/resource/work/8153315

https://catalystmcgill.com/language-as-a-weapon-of-imperialism-a-comparative-case-study-between-canada-and-korea/

https://journals.uvic.ca/index.php/WPLC/article/downlo d/16732/7431

https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-is-linguistic-imperialism.htm 

​https://the-peak.ca/2023/09/linguistic-imperialism-is-violence/ 

Changes in language can be forced or can take place through natural changes 

• Ex. the dominance of English across the world 

  • Between the 16th and 19th centuries, Britain colonized many territories and imposed English on them

• Ex. the Portuguese in Brazil 

In these cases, the dominant colonial power imposed its language on the native population for the system of government 

Dominance of English and French over Indigenous languages in Canada

Between 1960 and 1970, the Bilingualism and Multiculturalism Acts placed in Canada developed a “linguistic hierarchy” in which English and French were prioritized as the country’s official languages (Kwak & Campanella, 2020). Throughout the 19th century, this issue only grew to be more severe as the Canadian government enacted the Indian Act, under which Indigenous peoples were not able to earn full(Kwak & Campanella, 2020). 

• “‘Immigrant languages’ in Canadian policy are often categorically distinguished from English and French, the two official languages. This kind of distinction is inherently problematic because it “erases the fact that English and French are also immigrant languages”

• Residential schools: Students in residential schools were forbidden from speaking their native languages 

  
  

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Show Respect

• Make space for friends, co-workers, and even strangers to use their own languages. Remember that language can be closely tied to people's culture and identity, so be respectful!

Make an effort to learn

• Take opportunities to learn new languages. This could be as simple as learning a few phrases from a friend who speaks a different language. Or, invest time in an online language course. For those who want to become fluent, check out programs such as Canada's "Explore" program that allow students to learn French or English in an immersive environment.

Advocate

• Look out for petitions, events, and town hall meetings in your area that support diverse languages. Participating in these is a way to learn and also provide concrete support.