Humanising Language Teaching
Year 5; Issue 5; September 03

"Saviour of Linguistic Imperialism?" A Counterblast* to Corpus Linguistics

Jim Wingate, Wales

*an 18th century term for vigorously contradicting/opposing a set of beliefs

In my counterblast I'm not saying Corpus Linguistics isn't true. That's not the point. I'm objecting to Corpus Linguistics being used to ruin a perfectly wonderful invention.

'Imperialism'

I define 'Imperialism' as a system devised by elites to keep the poor and powerless poor and powerless. Imperialism is a system which will mutate as often as required by changing circumstances to make sure the poor and powerless remain poor and powerless. To do so, the elites of imperialism use all means to undermine, bypass or destroy any counter-systems which have been invented by the poor and powerless to give themselves more power.

'The Poor and Powerless'

In 'linguistic imperialism' the poor and powerless are the learners of English worldwide whose only access to learning English is controlled by publishers and teachers. The poor and powerless have limited time and money.

The System 'devised to keep them powerless'

This system is 'Native-speaker' English.

'The Counter-system invented to give themselves more power'

This counter system is English as a medium of international communication.

An Analogy

Please grant me a few moments to work through an analogy with you. In the excellent book 'Who Owns Britain' we see that in the 19th century an elite, mostly aristocrats, owned most of Britain and did so in terms of land. For example, 7 % of people in my land, Scotland, owned 84% of Scotland.

This inequity became unacceptable and it became a politically correct concession for the aristocrats to sell much of their land to their tenants. But was the power of the aristocrats broken? Oh no, because they used the money to found merchant banks which lent the money to the tenants to buy the land.

Largely the same 7% of people still own 84% of Scotland but now in property, finance and shares, not land.

A 'Concession'

A concession by the elite is simply an abandonment of a means of maintaining superiority when that means has ceased to work. Another means is found immediately to replace the one that has ceased to work.

Imperialisim and Linguistic Imperialism

Both start with an attitude of arrogance 'We know. You don't.' 'We've got it. You haven't'. This is an assumed superiority which allows language and empire to be imposed without a pang of conscience.

Both language and Empire came by trade, then establishing a trading elite, force of arms adding a military elite. Colonisation then imposes a middle class elite, aping the higher elite. Through colonisation middle class colonials become an elite, that is their great opportunity.

Both language and Empire then select among the 'locals' those worthy to be made honorary (but always inferior) members of the elite. The sons of local princes, for example, are sent to Eton and Oxford to make them 'Anglo-'.

A 'Concession'

The inequity of the imperial system became unacceptable and it became politically correct to 'grant independence'.The imperial means of maintaining superiority ceased to work.

Another means was found immediately – the seemingly ultimate concession, the western model of democracy which had previously been withheld.

The 'honorary locals' were groomed to take power now that their loyalties to their own people had been suborned by Eton and Oxford.

Independence

Unfortunately for the English elite, the honorary English local elite ceased to be able to hold power. Unfortunately for that local elite, they were therefore abandoned by the English elite.

Local systems, Local Language

The old Imperial power elite then criticised the poor and powerless in the newly independent countries. The developing 'local' versions of democracy was denounced as 'Not true democracy' the developing local version of English was denounced as 'Not real English'.

'At a loss'

The old imperial elites were at a loss, literally. How could they repossess power and money?

'On a Winning Streak'

The newly independent countries began to see that they could operate their own economies to benefit the poor and powerless. They could use their economies to trade with countries other than the old imperial country. Likewise the old imperial language became a tool rather than an imposition. They could use English to communicate with countries other than the old imperial country.

Co-operation and Autonomy

Co-operation and autonomy promised much and the perfectly wonderful invention came into being.

The poor and powerless had limited time and money. The publishers were willing to take that limited money. The teachers were willing to take that limited time.

Those very limits seized something, English, which used to be a language, and changed it wonderfully.

'The Perfectly Wonderful Invention'

English became, with limited time and money, not a language, but an international medium of communication designed of necessity (the mother of invention) to have wonderful improvements on when it had been a language.

English as an international medium of communication at last had a simplified vocabulary, a simplified grammar, clear rules and a brilliant means of being taught by non-native speakers and from books.

'The Brilliant Means'

The brilliant means of being taught was that English as an international medium of communication transferred the grammar and vocabulary of written English straight over to spoken English!

This is brilliant because it makes 'English' teachable and learnable by self-access from books alone wherever a learner may be. It enables non-native speakers of 'English' to become teachers of 'English' without any contact with native-speaker English.

At a stroke, the old imperial 'owners' and 'possessors' of native-speaker English were deprived of their superiority, and the poor and powerless were freed to use 'English' in local and international ways.

'English' and Native-speaker English

Please notice I have named English as an international medium of communication 'English'. The quotation marks define it as 'not a language' in contrast to native –speaker English which remains a language.

The Miracle

Publishers and teachers somehow agreed worldwide on the definitions of 'English', for example rejecting the 49 conditionals in native-speaker English in favour of 3.

'Authority' shifted from elite – the native speakers of English to meritocracy - those who had studied 'English'. Any non-native speaker of English could become a teacher of 'English'. At last the power of the elite was broken, no longer 'We know, You don't' but 'We all know'. 'We've all got it.'

Here was the counter-system created by limited time and money. It has given the poor and powerless more power, and has connected them internationally more than politics could do.

“Saviour of Imperialism?”

The elite were at a loss.
How do old imperial elites regain power after their former colonies become independent?
Like those who 'own Britain' they changed from 'owning' the colonies as land, to being the bankers and financiers. The Third World countries (ex-colonies) now pay the First World countries (ex-imperial powers) much more than the Third World countries receive back in 'aid' or trade.

Finance, lending and superior technology have been the “Saviour” for the old imperial elite, enabling them to get back to exploiting the ex-colonies. But what is the saviour for the old imperial language, native-speaker English?

“Saviour of Linguistic Imperialism?”

Enter, at last, Corpus Linguistics

Superior technology and superior finance have enabled native-speaker English to dress up as a benevolent lender, giving freely from superior resources.
What an honourable, politically correct image!
How it poses on the high ground of 'fact', 'truth' and 'purity'!
But listen to the hidden messages: 'We know. You don't', 'We've got it. You haven't.'

See the parallels! The old imperial powers said to the ex-colonies 'You, too can have western democracy'. But, 'Oops, you don't have the money or the time to achieve it. Therefore, you remain inferior.'

Now Corpus Linguistics is being used to say 'You, too can have native-speaker English' But, 'Oops, you don't have the money or the time to achieve it. Therefore, you remain inferior.'

'We have discovered true English', say Corpus Linguists. What a noble message! How truly aristocratic! But listen to the hidden messages: 'You, non-native speakers therefore have to newly admit your inferiority.' 'Your limited time and money no longer liberate you to use 'English' as you wish. They limit you to use native-speaker English really badly'.

The New Elite

At last the English can do what they do best, selecting among the 'locals' those worthy to be made honorary (but always inferior) members of the new Corpus Linguistics native-speaker English elite.

Listen to the moral blackmail: 'If you, non-native speaker teacher of English are truly devoted to real native-speaker English, really devoted to the truth, you will abandon 'English' and spend your limited money and time learning (but not hearing or using) Corpus Linguistics.'

Listen to the appeal to a new God and new Holy Writ: 'If you, non-native speaker teacher of 'English' have the true faith, you will bow down before the computer which has gathered the 5 million utterances of the chosen people. Confess the errors of your ways!

Listen to the appeal to scientific fact as truth: '5 million utterances can't be wrong. But you, non-native speaker teacher of 'English', you and your teaching and your coursebooks we have now defined as 'in error' You must change!'

The Equitable Solution for Corpus Linguistics

I am not a Luddite, recommending the destruction of Corpus Linguistics. I take instead Gandhi's model. Gandhi not only sought to liberate India from English Imperialism, but he also sought to liberate the English from the burden of Empire.

I therefore propose liberating 'English' from Corpus Linguistics, and liberating Corpus Linguistics from 'English'.

In other words, I say to Corpus Linguistics, 'leave English' alone. Leave the poor and powerless to afford 'English' as an international medium of communication. The poor and powerless have limited time and money

I say to Corpus Linguistics, 'Leave 'English' alone. It is not a language. It is a perfectly wonderful invention.'

I say to Corpus Linguistics, 'Be liberated from trying to change 'English'. It cannot become a language,'

I say to Corpus Linguistics, 'Your destiny is with the elites of the world, not the poor and powerless. Focus on those not limited in time and money. They can afford to learn native-speaker English as a further language after, or before learning 'English'.

The Equitable Solution for Non-Native speaker Teachers

I say to non-native speaker teachers, 'Maintain your freedom. Remain a liberator of the poor and powerless with their limited time and money. Keep using the perfectly wonderful invention, 'English'.

I say to non-native speaker teachers, 'Native-speaker English and 'English' are different, wonderfully, delightfully so! Don't let Corpus Linguistics make you feel guilty, inferior, insufficiently devoted to the faith or the truth!'

I say to non-native speaker teachers, 'when Corpus Linguistics quotes the five million utterances of native-speaker English, for example, using 49 conditionals quote back the multi-million pages of 'English' worldwide where there are only 3 conditionals, usable in writing and in speech.

Speak out for the superiority of the perfectly wonderful invention, 'English', invented to serve those with limited time and money.'

Lastly, I say to non-native speaker teachers, 'Only if you have the time and money embark on learning native-speaker English in its new form, constantly re-enriched by Corpus Linguistics. But, please, avoid becoming a new tool of the old elite. Corpus linguistics should be used for the joy of individuals, not as the saviour of Linguistic Imperialism.'

See Phillipson, Linguistic Imperialism.)

Jim Wingate's book How to be a Peace-full Teacher, now in its 7th expanded edition develops Gandhi's ideas into 180 practical classroom techniques to liberate teacher and learners. Jim's latest book The Dragon Wakes is an entertaining novel containing 40 stories of a community liberating itself from cultural and linguistic Imperialism. Books mail order from www.jimwingate.co.uk.

Jim Wingate's great-uncle, Sir Reginald Wingate, Governor-General of Egypt and the Sudan was fluent in several Arab dialects and in Turkish as well as being a poet in both languages. In 1918 he recommended the British Empire to at last give Egypt independence. In 1918 he was sacked from Egypt by the British Empire. In 1956 the British Empire was sacked from Egypt by Colonel Nasser!