linguistic-imperialism

The chapter traces the historical and global trajectory of English from its role as a vital cultural bridge in early colonial North America, exemplified by figures like Squanto, to its violent imposition on Indigenous and enslaved peoples within the United States and its empire. It examines mid-20th century efforts to simplify and globalize English through reforms like Basic English and phonetic alphabets, which faced resistance amid decolonization and linguistic revival movements. Ultimately, English's dominance as a global lingua franca emerged not solely from top-down imperial imposition but through a complex interplay of soft power, technological infrastructures, and individual choices, creating both unprecedented linguistic privilege for native speakers and new forms of intellectual colonialism and global inequality.

This chapter's notes provide extensive documentation of the United States' use of language as a tool of empire, detailing the suppression of indigenous languages and the promotion of English through policies and reforms such as Basic English. It further explores the global dominance of English in scientific, aviation, and digital domains as a form of linguistic hegemony tied to American geopolitical power. Additionally, the chapter addresses the expansive U.S. military presence via overseas bases, the environmental and human toll of nuclear testing on indigenous populations, and the cultural manifestations of nuclear anxiety during the Cold War.