Bakhtin's dialogism
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Date
2012
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Publisher
UMT Lahore
Abstract
The existing research in the area of linguistic and cultural imperialism has focused on the
different aspects of English as an international language, English as a language of neoimperialism and monoculturalism. How imperialism has been a great means of establishing
monopolization of English language? As an imperialist language, English establishes a
monologic colonial hegemony, authenticity and carries away co-existence, concurrence and
simultaneity of other languages. The monopoly of English language has been viewed as a big
threat to regional and local languages to sustain. Moreover, monopolization of one language
refers to the monopoly of one culture as well.
This study is qualitative in methods and employs Bakhtin's theory of dialogisim to
investigate the possibility of multilingualism and multiculturalism in the wake of English as
an imperialist and a global language.
This particular study explores the possibilities of lingual diversity in the existing
polarized societies in the world. Bakhtin's theory of dialogism is viewed as a ray of hope in
the current settings for distinctiveness of each language and the cultural connotations each
language takes in. The study proposes the possibility of language existence and development
other than English despite their inner polarity and conflict and explores the possibility of
linguistic and cultural plurality.
The researcher has brought into light the important considerations after an extensive
reading of the previous researches, within the fiamework of Bakhtin's theory of dialogism, to
ascertain multilingualism and multiculturalism.