Decentring English through bilingual creative practice

Ahmed, S. (2021) Decentring English through bilingual creative practice. New Writing, 18(3), pp. 272-288. (doi: 10.1080/14790726.2020.1810279)

Abstract

This study problematizes the global spread of English and its status as the default language of the Academy. I ask if English has been appropriated, created anew and pressed into the service of the Global South, or if the demand for the language and burgeoning English Literatures of the world reinforce the divide between speakers of English and those of ‘other-ed’ languages, and even between ‘native’ and ‘non-native’ speakers of English. Simultaneously, I explore and accommodate the utility of English as a tool for challenging hegemonic narratives, but argue that English should not be allowed to become hegemonic itself by being the sole language of critical/ creative debate, proposing bi/ multilingual creative practice to undermine the centrality of English to the creation of counter colonial discourses. This, I call ‘decentring’ English to be achieved by a syncretic union of English and ‘othered’ languages in critical hindsight of my creative practice.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ahmed, Sameer
• Authors: Ahmed, S.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities
• Journal Name: New Writing
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 1479-0726
• ISSN (Online): 1943-3107
• Published Online: 24 September 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group
• First Published: First published in New Writing 18(3): 272-288
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy