The forgotten circle: A sociolinguistic study of English in Alaska

Considerable attention has been given to the situation of Native American languages in the United States as numbers of speakers continue to decline despite language preservation efforts. At the same time, the worldwide spread of English, often in postcolonial contexts, has drawn the attention of sociolinguists. Research addressing the implications of this spread of English has generally followed two major themes. The first views English as a welcome addition to the pre-existing linguistic situation while the second approach treats the presence of English as a result of imperialistic policies by more dominant nations. This study explores the intersection of these two approaches by utilizing cultural studies theoretical concepts in order to highlight areas of resonance and dissonance between them. The resulting hybrid framework draws from work done on English spread by Kachru (1983 and after) and Phillipson (1992 and after) as well as from such cultural studies concepts as Orientalism, hegemony, and subaltern. The incorporation of cultural studies theory permits an emphasis on the cultural and political ramifications of attempts by non-Natives to represent Native American interests. This hybrid framework is then used to explore the linguistic situation of Native Americans. Particular attention is paid to language preservation programs and the implications of their theoretical assumptions. In addition, the project considers the recent English Only legislation efforts promoted by the U.S. English political organization and examines the conflicting messages about multilingualism evident in the group\u27s promotional materials. The final chapter of this work looks at Alaska\u27s 1998 official English legislation. The reactions of Native governments, Alaska residents, and the group promoting the legislation are surveyed in order to understand the factors motivating the legislation and its subsequent overturning. The study concludes by offering suggestions for future research on the spread of English in postcolonial nations, language preservation, and official language policy