This article begins with an overview of the literature on language commodification and the Marxist critiques of this concept. I argue that, while these critiques have raised pertinent issues surrounding the concept of language commodification, they are limited by their reliance on Karl Polanyi's notion of fictitious commodification, which suggests…

This study explored perceptions of university English language teachers in Thailand regarding Thai English. Using purposive-convenience sampling, 60 teachers of English from two Thai universities answered a survey; 11 of which participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews. An analysis of the survey and interview responses indicated that…

Much has been written about the linguistics, pragmatics and politics of the pluralization of English under conditions of colonization and globalization. By and large, however, the focus of the work on World Englishes has understandably been on "Englishes" rather than the "world". This paper explores the theoretical potential of…

As the de facto language of science, English proficiency often serves as a gatekeeper for aspiring medical students in Puerto Rico because they encounter English-language instruction, textbooks, and high-stakes standardized tests throughout their studies. Employing ethnographic research methods, this case study documents the language practices in…

This narrative study focuses on how Gina, a Korean learner with a Korean immigrant mother and a European-descent New Zealander father, constructed her identities and engaged with Korean as a heritage language (HL) before, during, and after studying abroad in Korea. Gina's transformative experiences illustrate the links between HL learning and…

This article examines how political discourse, language ideologies, recent Chinese curriculum reforms, and their representations in the media are inextricably related. Using the "Speak Mandarin Campaign" as background for the inquiry, I focus on textual features of the various media sources, TV advertisements, campaign slogans, official…

Humphrey Tonkin's article (2011, this issue) refers to many relevant parameters in the current dominance of English in science. His conclusion that publication in English "is erroneously equated with scientific advancement in general" is a disturbingly valid generalization that ultimately reflects ignorance, prejudice, and myopia.…

This article looks at how mother-tongue English speakers and those who do not have English as a mother tongue discuss the complex questions that swirl around the "global" hegemony of English when given an opportunity to discuss these "directly" with one another. The article does so via an analysis of a series of online…

This article investigates the construction and maintenance of ideologies regarding the legitimacy of English as the dominant language in the United States in interactions involving adult immigrant learners of English. As both the researcher and these students' English as second language (ESL) instructor, I am a participant in the ESL classroom and…

Using a critical perspective as its framework, this article reports on a case study that explored language practices and perceptions of six South African teachers who participated in a professional development workshop entitled "Language Across the Curriculum." The study reveals the conflicting attitudes of the teachers toward the role…

Over the centuries, first Latin and then French, German, and Russian have receded in perceived importance as languages of science. Other powerful languages with extensive internal scientific discourse, such as Japanese and Chinese, have always been largely excluded. The dominance of English has elevated the reputation of English-language…

In this paper we argue that although the problematic nature of language construction has been acknowledged by a number of skeptical authors, including the recent claim in this journal (Reagan, 2004) that there is no such thing as English or any other language, this critical approach to language still needs to develop a broader understanding of the…

The year-long study that was the context for this article explored the complicated relationship among the shaping of ESOL as a school construct, the historical legacy of colonialism, and the contemporary influence of globalizing forces on the teaching of English worldwide and the lives of multilingual students enrolled in ESOL. In the context of a…