Linguistic Imperialism Relection

 Having analyzed Philipson viewpoint on linguistic imperialism as a theoretical construct from which to explain how some languages are used more than others (pg 238), I must agree with the author´s thinking, since I have witnessed first hand the influence of English language in our daily lives. English words and phrases are present not only in advertising and music, but also on people´s informal communication mixed with Spanish. 

As the writer of “Realities and Myths of Linguistic Imperialism” assured, (1997) “Linguistic imperialism takes place within an overarching structure of asymmetrical North/South relations, where language interlocks with other dimensions, cultural (particularly in education, science and the media), economic and political.” which can be proved thanks to the historical events our country has gone through. 

English Language as a Foreign Language commenced being taught in our formal education system during Frondizi´s government after he promoted secondary private education with a bilingual orientation. (Puiggros, pg 152), though it had been firstly available for an elite who could afford private tuition. 

In 2006, it became officially part of Argentina's public education curricula when 26206 was sanctioned. So, as it can be observed, there has been an educative and economical structure which has encouraged and naturalized the teaching of English language aided by international institutions such as the IMF, under the ideas of individual growth and better job opportunities which have rooted deeply in both, middle and high social classes. Although, some resistance can be seen in more conservative social groups who fiercely protect our traditions and believe that the spread of english trough pop culture keep children and teenagers away from our cultural products, such as national folklore. 

Nowadays, due to the fact that english has become a lingua franca, and not only a language spoken in certain countries, like the USA or UK, it becomes necessary for us, as future educators to realize the importance of learning about the different englishes available as a result of multiculturalism, by contextualizing them in our culture. Learning a foreign language will not only provide students with a useful skill but it will give them a wider view of the world and cultures that inhabit it, making them more respectful and critical. As a professional I would use trap music, since it contains words in English so as to show 6th graders how English language surrounds us. After all, as the British professor states, we indeed live in a multicultural world where bilingualism and multilingualism are necessary and desirable societal goals (pg 246), so they should be cultivated in an appropriate educational scenario.

References: 

Robert Phillipson (1997) Realities and Myths of Linguistic Imperialism, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 18:3, 238-248, DOI: 10.1080/01434639708666317

Puiggrós, A. (2018). Qué pasó en la educación argentina: Breve historia desde la conquista hasta el presente (Spanish Edition) (1° edición ed.). Editorial Galerna.