Date of Award
12-2022
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Academic Program
Speech Pathology and Audiology BA
Department
Speech and Hearing Sciences
First Advisor
Christopher Miles, Ph.D.
Advisor Department
Foreign Languages and Literature
Abstract
This study uses previous research and qualitative data to determine how foreign language teachers can present English to learners as an international communicative tool while also preserving their native L1 identity amidst hegemonic cultural influences. Since becoming a lingua franca, the majority of English users are non-native speakers, and the findings of this study explain how English has globally spread to create distinctive linguistic groups among these speakers and the importance of promoting the equality of their English variations against the “standard” dialect used in current monolingual English language teaching (ELT) policies (Canagarajah, 1999; Duff, 2005; Schmitz, 2014). Responses from questionnaires and interviews consisted of participants from various linguistic profiles, and, using thematic analysis, the data emphasize findings from previous literature relating to ELT curriculum, motivations for acquisition, and the effects of language learning on non-native English speakers. The results of this study encourage English language teachers to identify the unique situations of their students, so they can create an individualized education that preserves their native L1 identity. Using Kachru’s three-circle model of World Englishes (1990), this research provides information on the attitudes of English language learners (ELL) towards English and the effects that cultural assimilation in foreign language learning can have to make recommendations for ELT policies that better serve the educational and personal needs of ELL.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
King, Linley, "Linguistic Imperialism: A Critical Analysis of English Hegemony and Its Effect on English Language Learners" (2022). Honors Theses. 879.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/879