English and American Linguistic Hegemony: A Case Study of the Educational Testing Service

2012 The Korean Journal of International Studies  
This study empirically analyzes how American linguistic power maintains and reaffirms US political hegemony with the Educational Testing Service (ETS). . English and American Linguistic Hegemony Linguistic hegemony is a form of power that empowers some while disempowering others. 1) The power dynamics of American English affect other countries through political, socioeconomic, and cultural dynamics. There is a growing consensus that the world is becoming culturally globalized by the exchange of
more » ... goods, information, technology, and capital. More recently, the emergence of international organizations and economic and political competition have accelerated these power dynamic flows. Under globalization, the English language functions very effectively as a common linguistic medium. English as an international language provides many advantages, i.e., educational and employment opportunities. Scholars and scientists especially benefit from the volume of academic information available in English and have more chances to disseminate their academic achievement to other scholars worldwide. Learning English as an international Linguistic hegemony, which is the main theme of this study, is based on cultural hegemony. Culture is a difficult concept. Allastair Pennycook identifies a number of different meanings of culture. First, culture is set of superior values, especially embodied in works of art and limited to a small elite. Second, culture is a whole way of life, the informing spirit of a people. Third, culture is the way in which different people make sense of their lives. 4) Traditional realists often do not consider the relevance of culture in international relations. For instance, Hans Morgenthau argues that "the problem of world community is a moral and political and not an intellectual and aesthetic one." In his perspective, the real issues are constituted by power politics, therefore institutions like UNESCO have little relevance to traditional realists. 5) Since the end of the Cold War, the debate on US soft power has flourished. American culture is highly evident in the various products, technology, and 4) Allastair Pennycook, The Cultural Politics of English as an International Language (London: Longman Group Ltd., 1994). 5) Ibid., p. 62.
doi:10.14731/kjis.2012.12.10.2.221 fatcat:pzapedkjazbkpfzg3guy2sj3hy