This 3-hour colloquium aims to examine language ideologies and language use in diverse Asian contexts in relation to the East-West dichotomy. In the interplay of power and complex hegemony (Said, 1978), the relationship... [ view full abstract ]
This 3-hour colloquium aims to examine language ideologies and language use in diverse Asian contexts in relation to the East-West dichotomy. In the interplay of power and complex hegemony (Said, 1978), the relationship between East and West has impacted the way in which languages are viewed and appropriated in particular local contexts. The East-West dichotomy has been further strengthened by global discourses of linguistic hierarchy. As a result, various linguistic practices have come to index variable levels of prestige and economic value. Under conditions of globalisation and internationalisation, discourses about certain language practices in local contexts are often imbricated with ‘bigger’ global discourses about language ideologies. A growing amount of work on English language ideologies in globalisation is one good example. The overriding conceptualisation of ‘English as a global language’, however, might risk simplifying local particularities inextricably tied to the development of particular language ideologies.
The colloquium, therefore, seeks to approach the issue of the influence of the East-West dichotomy on ideologies and practices of languages in specific Asian contexts from a local perspective. It focuses on concrete instances in which the East-West dichotomy is embraced, negotiated and, at times, resisted in the construction of language ideologies and practices at the individual, group, or national level. The papers in this colloquium share ethnographically-oriented approaches and are united by an interest in Asian perspectives on the variable processes of the construction of indigenous ideologies and use. Bringing together data-driven contributions from various parts of the region, the colloquium aims to shed light on the complex processes that facilitate or resist the dichotomy. In doing so, it aims to contribute to a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of the impact of global linguistic ideologies on local beliefs and practices.
Said, E. (1978). Orientalism. London: Routledge K. Paul.
