International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue XI, November 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
Abdullah Murat Tuncer. Ph.D.
Student, Political Science. Conley American University. Ankara, Turkey.
Abstract: The purpose of foreign language teaching is to teach students the basic rules of the foreign language, to develop their foreign language vocabulary, to be able to understand what they read and hear in a foreign language, and to express themselves orally or in writing; The purpose of education in a foreign language is to enable graduates of associate, undergraduate and graduate diploma programs to acquire foreign language proficiency in their fields and attracting international students to the programs. One of the essential educational debates in developing countries is whether the language of instruction can be other than the mother tongue. The education in schools whose official language is foreign, except for some private education institutions, is questioned in this discussion. In this article, the problem is discussed in the case of Turkey. Is foreign language learning or education in a foreign language required?
Key Words: Linguistic Imperialism, Education, Education in international language, language education, Turkey
I. INTRODUCTION
Starting to attain an essential international language status in the world from the 19th century onwards thanks to many interrelated factors like British colonialism and later US-Britain cultural policies of expansion, the English language has achieved an unprecedented prevalence in usage in different sectors ranging from education to tourism and art to literature and sports (Ahmad, 2022). Today, it continues as an international lingua franca, reinforcing its position through effective expansion mechanisms such as globalization, academia, media, music, TV, and sports (Yiğit, 2021).
In Turkey, more vital than the use of loan words is the increasing propensity for using English and Turkish phrases together in a style called either “Plaza Turkish,” referring to the language used by white-collar workers at Plazas, or “Turkilish,” which is used by all people who mishmash Turkish and English independent of business concerns (Efe, 2019).
English education plays a role in the spread of language imperialism (Phillipson, 1992; Phillipson, 2007). In Phillipson’s words, English linguistic imperialism, however, connotes oblivion and even evanescence of vernacular and the interiorization and hybridization of national languages (Phillipson, 1992).
International mobility is the most visible activity of Internationalization. International mobility is an essential economic commodity for English-speaking countries, but also