Whose language counts?

European Journal of Applied Linguistics, vol. 12, pp. 34–53

Abstract

Abstract This position paper makes a critical intervention in one of the mostly salient sociolinguistic debates of the recent years, that of the integration of multilingual speakers in language ideological research. Although many scholars now recognize the need for decentering the ideal(ized) ‘monolingual native speakers’, they remain the default norm in language ideological research. Indeed, despite our efforts to dismantle our own language ideologies as linguists, the implicit focus on native speakers and monolinguals proceeds to the erasure or invisibilization (Irvine & Gal 2000) of multilinguals. Drawing on research on gender-inclusive language as well as my own empirical study on L2 speakers of German, I show why integrating a higher variety of language users is necessary—not only on ethical grounds, but also on theoretical ones. Altogether, this paper presents the challenges language ideological research still faces despite ongoing efforts to tackle multilingualism and offers possible solutions for language ideological research to become truly inclusive.

Authors 1

1. Naomi Truan corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University Centre for Linguistics , 2300 RA Leiden , Netherlands Netherlands

   LUCL - Leiden University Centre for Linguistics (Leiden University Centre for Linguistics Postbus 9515 NL-2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands - Netherlands)

   Universiteit Leiden = Leiden University (Leiden University | 2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands - Netherlands)