English as a weapon of power : a double-edged sword

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorYoung, Douglasen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorKapp, Rochelleen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorPamegiana, Andreaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-11-04T10:29:26Z
dc.date.available2015-11-04T10:29:26Z
dc.date.issued2005en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 94-99).en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis mini-dissertation explores the effects of the growth of English as an international and an intranational lingua franca with a focus on the South African debate about language and socio-economic empowerment. This exploration is carried out through an extended review of some of the theories that have challenged the notion that the spread of English is empowering for the majority of the world's population. I refer to these theories as the "critical discourse" about the power of English and argue that within this discourse there is a tendency to be exceedingly dismissive of the idea that the spread of English can in any way empower native speakers of other languages. I refer to this tendency as the "critical model" for looking at the power of English and analyze three metaphors that are often used as tropes to exclude from the "critical discourse" arguments that can be made for using English as a weapon of empowerment. These metaphors characterize English as a "linguistic poacher" that threatens endangered language species with extinction, as a "gatekeeper" that excludes the masses from socio-economic mobility, and as a "colonizer of the mind," or a mechanism that imposes Western-centric values. I argue that while it is important to be aware of these negative effects, the critics of English should not rely too heavily on negative constructions of this language, lest they create theories that are marred by epistemological fallacies that have negative pedagogical and political consequences. Epistemologically, sealing the border of a discourse can lead to tautological arguments that rely excessively on determinism and essentialism. Pedagogically, being exceedingly critical of the power of English can create obstacles in finding ways to teach this language effectively.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationPamegiana, A. (2005). <i>English as a weapon of power : a double-edged sword</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Centre for Applied Language and Literacy Studies and Services in Africa. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14629en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationPamegiana, Andrea. <i>"English as a weapon of power : a double-edged sword."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Centre for Applied Language and Literacy Studies and Services in Africa, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14629en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationPamegiana, A. 2005. English as a weapon of power : a double-edged sword. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Pamegiana, Andrea AB - This mini-dissertation explores the effects of the growth of English as an international and an intranational lingua franca with a focus on the South African debate about language and socio-economic empowerment. This exploration is carried out through an extended review of some of the theories that have challenged the notion that the spread of English is empowering for the majority of the world's population. I refer to these theories as the "critical discourse" about the power of English and argue that within this discourse there is a tendency to be exceedingly dismissive of the idea that the spread of English can in any way empower native speakers of other languages. I refer to this tendency as the "critical model" for looking at the power of English and analyze three metaphors that are often used as tropes to exclude from the "critical discourse" arguments that can be made for using English as a weapon of empowerment. These metaphors characterize English as a "linguistic poacher" that threatens endangered language species with extinction, as a "gatekeeper" that excludes the masses from socio-economic mobility, and as a "colonizer of the mind," or a mechanism that imposes Western-centric values. I argue that while it is important to be aware of these negative effects, the critics of English should not rely too heavily on negative constructions of this language, lest they create theories that are marred by epistemological fallacies that have negative pedagogical and political consequences. Epistemologically, sealing the border of a discourse can lead to tautological arguments that rely excessively on determinism and essentialism. Pedagogically, being exceedingly critical of the power of English can create obstacles in finding ways to teach this language effectively. DA - 2005 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2005 T1 - English as a weapon of power : a double-edged sword TI - English as a weapon of power : a double-edged sword UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14629 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/14629
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationPamegiana A. English as a weapon of power : a double-edged sword. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Centre for Applied Language and Literacy Studies and Services in Africa, 2005 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14629en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentCentre for Applied Language and Literacy Studies and Services in Africaen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherApplied Language and Literacy Studiesen_ZA
dc.titleEnglish as a weapon of power : a double-edged sworden_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMEden_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_hum_2005_pamegiana_andrea.pdf
Size:
4.73 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Masters