(Re)experiencing hegemony: the linguistic imperialism of Robert Phillipson

Abstract

Reading Robert Phillipson's Linguistic Imperialism in a graduate seminar in World Englishes at Purdue University prompted intense discussion and debate not only of the issues of language dominance and spread that the author raised, but also of the rhetorical style and strategies that he chose to present a story of linguistic oppression. This article documents the reactions of seminar participants to how Phillipson presented his argument and their conclusion that the rhetorical choices he made seriously affected their ability to find his story convincing. In particular, participants – representing English language speakers in Brazil, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and the USA – identified problems with the author's claims and credibility, style and tone, and terminology and coverage. They also discovered that this book, which they expected to be a narrative of hegemony, was instead an illustration of the use of narrative as a hegemonic tool.