Linguistic imperialism

[Fred Rickson]

On Fri, 1 Mar 1996, Sabina Swift wrote:

> No doubt, it was "linguistic imperialism" that brought the english
> language to my old country, the Philippines.   I
> learned English since first grade; it was the medium of instruction
> in both public and private schools, still is.
> When I became politicized in college, I resented very much
> that it was forced on us, together with many other things.  The students
> used it only in the classroom but speaking it outside of the classroom was
> thought "showing off," "elitist," or being an "American lackey."
> But now, decades later, after I've lived in two other countries aside
> from the US and learned other languages, both European and Asian languages,
> I am thankful I learned English as a second language. I don't
> consider it "imperialistic" anymore than the Philippine Constitution
> written in English.
>
> The English language is a unifying force in science, trade, travel,
> you name it.  Its usage does not make someone's mother tongue
> less important. On the contrary, it opens up our mother language to other
> languages; it serves as a "universal conduit" or "universal transformer."
>
> When I use the English language, I don't even think American or British
> English, or imperialistic.  I think COMMUNICATION, UNDERSTANDING, UNITY,
> PEACE.  Enough said.  Sabina :)
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Sabina Fajardo Swift            E-MAIL:swift at bishop.bishop.hawaii.org
> Bishop Museum                   PHONE: (808) 847-8217
> Department of Natural Sciences  FAX:   (808) 841-8968
> P.O. Box 19000
> Honolulu, Hawaii 96817  USA
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
Sabina,

This is as well said as it gets.....I have tried to tell students
throughout SE Asia for 25 years to keep the English usage alive FOR THEIR
OWN GOOD.  I really doesn't matter what any of us think...world
conventions of use are what we all must use, like it or not.

Fred

Fred Rickson
Department of Botany
Cordley 2082
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon  97331  USA

Ph.     (503) 737-5272
FAX:    (503) 737-3573
E-Mail  ricksonf at bcc.orst.edu