Posthumanist World Englishes

This Element explores new ways of thinking about agency and ontology in language.

Lionel Wee (Author)

9781108964906, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 13 May 2021

75 pages
22.9 x 15.1 x 0.5 cm, 0.13 kg

A posthumanist approach problematizes the separateness and centrality of humans in understanding the world around us. Posthumanism does not deny the role of humans but questions the assumption that it is human activity and agency that should be given pride of place in any analysis of social activity. This carries important and interesting implications for the study of World Englishes, some of which are explored in this Element. Sections 3 and 4, respectively, explore posthumanism in relation to two specific topics in World Englishes, creativity and language policy. These topics have been chosen because they allow us to see the contributions that posthumanism can make to a micro-level (creativity) as well as macro-level (language policy) topic.

1. Regimes of Truth in the Study of Language
2. Posthumanism and the Linguistic Assemblage
3. Creativity and World Englishes
4. Language Policy and World Englishes
5. Conclusion:Linguistics for the Ontologically Curious.

Subject Areas: Sociolinguistics [CFB], Language: history & general works [CBX]