On being heard: English, voice and linguistic authority

Abstract

This position paper explores the relationship between voice and different ways of understanding English. By emphasizing that English is dispersed, local and variable, the World Englishes and English as a lingua franca (ELF) frameworks suggest that locally recognized varieties may be an avenue for diverse voices. This paper argues, however, that recognizing varieties of English does not go far enough (and indeed may be a regressive step) in opening a space to be heard. We need instead to think in terms of translingual practices (or Bahasa Gado-Gado) and alternative ways of framing language and voice. Viewing voice as the process of making oneself understood rather than as individual articulation presents a number of challenges for language education. Unless we consider the entanglements of English (the ways English is interwoven with the world), critical English pedagogies (addressing the inequalities between types of English), symbolic power (the challenge of being listened to), language assemblages (the dynamic gathering of different resources) and resourceful speakers (the capacity to align in language rather than adhere to language), our students may struggle to be heard.