7/28/2019 CriticalReview_JessicaCerqueira

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The ambivalent role of English in Brazilian politics

by Kana Villil Rajagopalan

in World Englishes, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 9-101, 2003.

A review by Jssica Cerqueira de Carvalho

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

In the article, Rajagopalan proposes a discussion on the role ofEnglish in Brazil and its social dynamics. The author does not proposesolutions to the problems that are presented; instead of that, he stimulatesa reflection about the pros and cons of the massive presence of the Englishlanguage in Brazilian society and what it represents. Is it a natural linguisticphenomenon or something larger than that?

First of all, Rajagopalan mentions Oliveira e Paiva's doctoral thesisthat addresses the the socio-economic dimension of the symbol that is theEnglish language in Brazilian society today. Oliveira e Paiva claims thatEnglish, more than a communication tool, came to be a strong symbol ofclass division. English is perceived as a symbol of status, of sophistication.If, before, the lowest classes were segregated by the pure mechanisms ofthe capitalist system, now there is another variable that restates its financialcondition: the dominance of the English language. To my way of thinking,Oliveira e Paiva is absolutely right. English should be a tool for integrationand democratization. In contrast, it has became a mechanism of socialselection and segregation.

Rajagopalan also brings an old debate to light. It concerns the Englishlanguage in the context of globalization. The core of the debate is this

process linguistic effects, and how can it threaten the integrity of certainlanguages and national identities. The author mentions two main positionson this point. There are those who "fear that the unbridled incursion ofEnglish (...) may negatively impact of Portuguese (...) and the very integrityof the nation." (2003, p. 95). In the meantime, there are those who arguethat this incursion should be faced as a natural process, as long as Brazil is amulticultural country, opened to "foreign influences, ready to acceptdifferences."(2003, p.96). I assume a neutral position when it comes to thisaspect of the debate. I would defend the national identity and language ifthis position was not an obsolete one. In the context of globalization, it isimportant to defend the nation in another aspects, such as the economicone, and let the language take its course, natural or not, mixing with otherlanguages. After all, English affects Portuguese; however, the opposite alsooccurs.

The author draws attention to the fact that the higher classes in Brazilare making use of English as a "marker of status and high living."(2003,p.95). Even when there exists a native word for whatever needs to betransmitted, the urban elite prefers to make use of a similar English word.

The English language, in this case, is a geo-political variable that reaffirmsour condition of dependency on the influence of the rich countries and,withal, our submission.

In conclusion, Rajagopalan states that is crucial to realize the importance ofa certain national linguistic and cultural integrity. Nevertheless, it isessential to take into account the context of globalization and the resultingneed for flexibility on language issues.