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Chapter 12. English, the Lingua Nullius of global hegemony

  • Robert Phillipson
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The Politics of Multilingualism
This chapter is in the book The Politics of Multilingualism

Abstract

Purportedly democratic states have many unjust and undemocratic features. This is also true of the management of EU affairs, including its multilingualism. These weaknesses co-articulate with an increased use of English in globalisation, neoliberalism, and greater European integration. There has been a transition from European colonisation worldwide, ostensibly justified by the Western myth of terra nullius, to worldwide penetration of American imperialism as a cultura nullius, in McDonaldisation processes in many social functions that accompany military and economic empire. English is now increasingly marketed as a necessity, as though it serves all equally well, a lingua nullius. Some European Commission initiatives accord linguicist priority to English, or argue for it as a seemingly neutral lingua franca, in effect a lingua nullius. This obscures the forces behind the power of English. Its hegemony has serious implications for speakers of other languages and their cultures. This chapter documents some of the workings of the project to establish “global English”.

The operation of the supranational EU system, and of EU-funded activities in Member States, builds on the evolution of novel forms of linguistic governance, “integration through law” (treaties), and judgments of the European Court of Justice. These not only interpret law but are teleological: they extend supranational law and the scope of the Common Market. Another example of the extension of English linguistic hegemony is the way in which the EU administration of post-conflict Bosnia has failed to achieve its goal of creating a viable state, but has served to enshrine English as a new language of power. Noble human rights aims are aspired to, but are subject to the influence of the forces behind corporate empire, a project that unites the USA and the EU. The failure to create more just societies and to substantiate deliberative democratic principles confirms the analysis of scholars who assess that “international relations” are pathologically inadequate, and that we have reached the “endtimes” of human rights. English in global and EU governance strengthens particular interests that are obscured by the myth of it as a lingua nullius. Existential language policy issues should not be consigned to the mercy of the market.

Abstract

Purportedly democratic states have many unjust and undemocratic features. This is also true of the management of EU affairs, including its multilingualism. These weaknesses co-articulate with an increased use of English in globalisation, neoliberalism, and greater European integration. There has been a transition from European colonisation worldwide, ostensibly justified by the Western myth of terra nullius, to worldwide penetration of American imperialism as a cultura nullius, in McDonaldisation processes in many social functions that accompany military and economic empire. English is now increasingly marketed as a necessity, as though it serves all equally well, a lingua nullius. Some European Commission initiatives accord linguicist priority to English, or argue for it as a seemingly neutral lingua franca, in effect a lingua nullius. This obscures the forces behind the power of English. Its hegemony has serious implications for speakers of other languages and their cultures. This chapter documents some of the workings of the project to establish “global English”.

The operation of the supranational EU system, and of EU-funded activities in Member States, builds on the evolution of novel forms of linguistic governance, “integration through law” (treaties), and judgments of the European Court of Justice. These not only interpret law but are teleological: they extend supranational law and the scope of the Common Market. Another example of the extension of English linguistic hegemony is the way in which the EU administration of post-conflict Bosnia has failed to achieve its goal of creating a viable state, but has served to enshrine English as a new language of power. Noble human rights aims are aspired to, but are subject to the influence of the forces behind corporate empire, a project that unites the USA and the EU. The failure to create more just societies and to substantiate deliberative democratic principles confirms the analysis of scholars who assess that “international relations” are pathologically inadequate, and that we have reached the “endtimes” of human rights. English in global and EU governance strengthens particular interests that are obscured by the myth of it as a lingua nullius. Existential language policy issues should not be consigned to the mercy of the market.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. List of contributors ix
  5. List of abbreviations xvii
  6. List of figures, tables, charts and pictures xix
  7. Chapter 1. The politics of multilingualism 1
  8. Part I. Reconceptualising multilingualism and collective identity
  9. Chapter 2. The politics of multilingualism in Canada 19
  10. Chapter 3. A Russian-speaking nation? 39
  11. Chapter 4. The impact of mobility and migration on the identity-constructing policy in Brussels 65
  12. Chapter 5. From glossophagic hegemony to multilingual pluralism? 89
  13. Chapter 6. Transient linguistic landscapes of activism 111
  14. Part II. Linguistic hegemony, insecurity and linguistic justice
  15. Chapter 7. How to measure linguistic justice? 145
  16. Chapter 8. Linguistic justice and English as a Lingua Franca 167
  17. Chapter 9. The promise and pitfalls of global English 201
  18. Chapter 10. Languages, norms and power in a globalised context 223
  19. Part III. Lingua Franca and global linguistic governance
  20. Chapter 11. On some fashionable terms in multilingualism research 247
  21. Chapter 12. English, the Lingua Nullius of global hegemony 275
  22. Chapter 13. Idealism or pragmatism? 305
  23. Chapter 14. European integration and the variety of languages 333
  24. Author index 359
  25. Subject index 365
https://doi.org/10.1075/wlp.6.12phi

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. List of contributors ix
  5. List of abbreviations xvii
  6. List of figures, tables, charts and pictures xix
  7. Chapter 1. The politics of multilingualism 1
  8. Part I. Reconceptualising multilingualism and collective identity
  9. Chapter 2. The politics of multilingualism in Canada 19
  10. Chapter 3. A Russian-speaking nation? 39
  11. Chapter 4. The impact of mobility and migration on the identity-constructing policy in Brussels 65
  12. Chapter 5. From glossophagic hegemony to multilingual pluralism? 89
  13. Chapter 6. Transient linguistic landscapes of activism 111
  14. Part II. Linguistic hegemony, insecurity and linguistic justice
  15. Chapter 7. How to measure linguistic justice? 145
  16. Chapter 8. Linguistic justice and English as a Lingua Franca 167
  17. Chapter 9. The promise and pitfalls of global English 201
  18. Chapter 10. Languages, norms and power in a globalised context 223
  19. Part III. Lingua Franca and global linguistic governance
  20. Chapter 11. On some fashionable terms in multilingualism research 247
  21. Chapter 12. English, the Lingua Nullius of global hegemony 275
  22. Chapter 13. Idealism or pragmatism? 305
  23. Chapter 14. European integration and the variety of languages 333
  24. Author index 359
  25. Subject index 365
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