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9. “They think speaking in English isn’t good, you know”

Negotiating bilingual identities in the Malay community
  • Joanne Rajadurai
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The Politics of English
This chapter is in the book The Politics of English

Abstract

If language policies offer insights into a country’s national and cultural identity, Malaysia portrays a conflicted self. While the official stand is that English competence is highly valued and encouraged, this public discourse does not always accord with or prevail against deep-seated suspicions and hostilities that the language arouses in certain segments of the community. In an examination of the complex politics of English in Malaysia, this essay focuses on the schisms between state ideology, community practices and daily experiences of learners who seek to live and function in contested spaces. Bringing together micro and macro perspectives, it examines the reflective journal writings of Malay students engaged in the linguistic practice of English. By drawing on constructivism to theorize and examine the data, the analysis shows how the use of English in what is deemed ‘Malay spaces’ problematizes English, unwittingly positions it as the ‘linguistic other’ and implicates political, ideological and identity struggles.

Abstract

If language policies offer insights into a country’s national and cultural identity, Malaysia portrays a conflicted self. While the official stand is that English competence is highly valued and encouraged, this public discourse does not always accord with or prevail against deep-seated suspicions and hostilities that the language arouses in certain segments of the community. In an examination of the complex politics of English in Malaysia, this essay focuses on the schisms between state ideology, community practices and daily experiences of learners who seek to live and function in contested spaces. Bringing together micro and macro perspectives, it examines the reflective journal writings of Malay students engaged in the linguistic practice of English. By drawing on constructivism to theorize and examine the data, the analysis shows how the use of English in what is deemed ‘Malay spaces’ problematizes English, unwittingly positions it as the ‘linguistic other’ and implicates political, ideological and identity struggles.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. 1. Language policies, language ideologies and local language practices 1
  5. Part I. South Asia
  6. 2. The politics of Hinglish 21
  7. 3. Globalization and multilingualism 37
  8. 4. Kaduva of privileged power, instrument of rural empowerment? 61
  9. 5. The interface of language, literature and politics in Sri Lanka 81
  10. Part II. Southeast Asia
  11. 6. Governing English in Singapore 105
  12. 7. Uncertain locale 125
  13. 8. The encroachment of English in Malaysian cultural expression 145
  14. 9. “They think speaking in English isn’t good, you know” 167
  15. 10. The grip of English and Philippine language policy 187
  16. 11. Nimble tongues 205
  17. Part III. Asia Pacific
  18. 12. English vs. English conversation 227
  19. 13. Language policy and practice in English loanwords in Japanese 249
  20. 14. English speakers in Korea 269
  21. 15. English, class and neoliberalism in South Korea 287
  22. 16. Conclusion 303
  23. Contributors 317
  24. Index 321
https://doi.org/10.1075/wlp.4.12raj

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. 1. Language policies, language ideologies and local language practices 1
  5. Part I. South Asia
  6. 2. The politics of Hinglish 21
  7. 3. Globalization and multilingualism 37
  8. 4. Kaduva of privileged power, instrument of rural empowerment? 61
  9. 5. The interface of language, literature and politics in Sri Lanka 81
  10. Part II. Southeast Asia
  11. 6. Governing English in Singapore 105
  12. 7. Uncertain locale 125
  13. 8. The encroachment of English in Malaysian cultural expression 145
  14. 9. “They think speaking in English isn’t good, you know” 167
  15. 10. The grip of English and Philippine language policy 187
  16. 11. Nimble tongues 205
  17. Part III. Asia Pacific
  18. 12. English vs. English conversation 227
  19. 13. Language policy and practice in English loanwords in Japanese 249
  20. 14. English speakers in Korea 269
  21. 15. English, class and neoliberalism in South Korea 287
  22. 16. Conclusion 303
  23. Contributors 317
  24. Index 321
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