Language Imperialism and the Quest for National Identity: A Pedagogical implications in ESL Setting

Abstract

The interface between cultural orientation of non-native speakers of the English  language, where it  co exists alongside indigenous languages and how this complex phenomenon impacts on teaching of the  English language is the thrust of this paper. Resting on applied linguistic orientation, the paper examines how the  English  language displays imperialistic traits as a dominant language at the expense of the indigenous languages and the quest for non-native speakers of the English language to maintain their socio-cultural identity. Samples are drawn from lexical items that mean different things in both native and non-native contexts. Findings reveal that not all rules (grammatical and otherwise) of the  English language in a second language settings are linguistic. Some of the rules, based on which notions such as correctness/incorrectness, appropriate/inappropriate, etc are imposed reflections of cultural practice, particularly of the native speakers of the language. The study concludes that cultural diversity of language users should be prioritised in determining what and how to teach the English language in second language setting to protect the cultural identity of the host communities.