Standard Language Ideology

31 states have passed laws to make English the official language of the state.

This encourages "active assimilation." The government encourages assimilation to the dominant language without protecting the minority languages. It creates an unconscious negative attitude towards minority languages. They become the other (Foucault) and the system is used to separate the U.S. from the rest of the world (Said).

Many Americans are afraid that the immigrant languages--specifically Spanish--are putting the English language at risk of being overrun. Honestly, it is not at risk at all!

These laws reflect language ideologies of the U.S.
1. There is a "wrong" and "right" grammar.
2. Value judgments are attached to speakers who use "wrong" grammar (African-American dialects, southern dialects) or another language.
3. The standard dialect indicates intelligence.

Standard Language Ideology is a construct of power used by cultural forces to exclude people who do not use the standard dialect. These ideologies and the powers controlling them fix meaning (Hall)

Throughout history, Standard Language Ideology has been used to exert power for economic gain (Marx). This also relates to critical race theory, as the labor market racializes ethnic groups, in this case, languages, for the needs of economics.

Consider the anti-literacy laws of the south from 1739-1865.
Slaves were restricted from learning how to read so that they would not read anti-slavery tracts. The labor market needed workers for plantations/railroad/etc.

1869- U.S. government controlled Native American education. Native Americans ages 6-13 were required to attend these assimilation-required, English only boarding schools. They were not allowed to speak their native language.

1870-1960. Literacy tests for black voters

What other theorists does standard language ideology relate to?