Subalternity in ELT

                                                                           -Sagun Shrestha

Today I am trying to bring out the sociolinguistic issue that is ruling, in other words, colonizing South Asian ELT. We have the deep-rooted mind-set, moreover, it is the mindset, the native speakers or who are working for them have gifted upon us adhering to geo and socio politics. The mindset is we (the new (here it means the ones who have got much exposure of English ever since their childhood) generation) are non-native speakers but the fact is we are grown up with English Situations (English books, teachers with native exposure, English movies, English tastes) yet we are in a view that we need a support of English people to a large extent in ELT (designing  materials, textbooks, methodology etc, which may yield their own culture consequently becoming repercussions in our context). It's a inferiority thought or ELT terror they have created in us which has subalternised all South Asian community, and on top of that it's all the fear phenomenon that makes us dwell outside the so-called teaching machine most of the time.

The voice which is being raised against it is Subalternity in ELT. It is the creative inquiry as per Gayetri Spevak. They, specific group of inner Circle rendering the term of Kachru, are subalternizing us, keeping us distant from mainstream ELT. How long can it continue even if most of us are in a mainstream ELT in our own context. Overlooking this fact is just a way to terrorize ELT people in South Asian Context.

Linguistic imperialism is another threat but since we have accepted on World Englishes, we have our own variety of English*. ELT has now been borderless. The borderlessness fact is helping one way or the other to imperialize the world.

Another fact is modern means of technology has wide use of English compelling all people to adapt to this ambience. The people who don't comply by don't fit and consequently be extinct. Computers are the product of English and we cannot imagine other languages besides English would help us in its proper operation. This necessitates us to learn English. It's a techno-colonial issue. Earlier the colonization was with direct State power, secondly, being language and now with technology and language. They are building similar cultural software via their language and technology within us. Our land can no longer become territorial platform now for their practice. We must come out of it bringing our own ELT of our context and agreeing upon the fact that, indeed, this generation of South Asian English can lead their own contextual English being in the so-called mainstream.

Medicine and Poison: Spevak

The native speakers of English, on one hand expand their languages in the third world countries via different international institiutions. It is the medicine to make us believe in , yes, we marching forward gradually to the so-called mainstream of ELT. On the other hand, they make us feel we are either ESL or EFL , however, these days, generation have grown up completely in English Environment. This is their policy to rule South Asian ELT polity which is Linguistic Capitalism they want to hold forever, so now comes the issue of identitarianism herewith. People who are aware of linguistic capitalists gradually raise their voice, globalized voice which has performative function against the shabbily design linguistic colonization. ELT becomes the best platform for it.

Even if it is undocumented thought so far, the subalterns in ELT would definitely realize to come out of this fear phenomenon to curtail the possibility of being colonized by their own means that they are using.

Implications in ELT

Being aware of subalternization is coming out of the fear phenomenon that one (South Asian ELT community) can never be in mainstream ELT community.

It is to make teachers realize that indeed, they are competent enough to deal with the issues using English making it more contextual.

It is to mitigate global Vs colonial thought that may persists in ELT.

It is to focus on contextual ELT.

It is to make creative inquiry.

Disclaimers:

In fact, it is not opposing ELT situation. Nonetheless, it is an effort to deal with ELT situation from subaltern perspective, bringing out identity politics, linguistic capitalism and the fact of boarderlessness. One may label the brand to this writer that he is a linguistic saddist and tries to rage linguist'/ELT anarchy. It may be true for them but to me, it is an creative enquiry exploring metaphorically Chomsky's deep level understanding in language/ELT scenario in third world countries, moreover bringing Spevak in South Asian ELT. Thanks