1. English as MOI (medium of
instruction ) in Hong Kong
Linguistic imperialism
Or
Cultural capital?

2. Source:
Talbot. M. M., Atkinson, K., & Atkinson D.
(2003). Extracts from Reading 5.1 in
Language and power in the modern world.
Edinburgh University Press. pp. 272-281
(Study Guide, Unit three, pp. 18-23)

3. The premise:
“This paper suggests that linguistic imperialism
might be a useful concept in denoting the
language situation in the earlier days of the
colonial administration of Hong Kong, but it
provides an inadequate account of the role of
English in its most recent and post-colonial
situation”. (p.18)

4. “Linguistic imperialism concerns the
intention to dominate” (p.18)
And so…
“Linguistic imperialism cannot provide a
full explanation of for English as the MOI
in Hong Kong, as Hong Kong Chinese
have always wanted English”. (Boyle
1997, p. 176)

5. Let’s look at the facts
Evidence for linguistic imperialism:
• In the 1970s and early 1980 English enjoyed a
higher status than Chinese
• Climbing the social ladder and having a well-
paid job required proficiency in English
• The colonial administration was the largest and
predominant employer
• English became the predominant medium for
trade and administration, science and
technology

6. “The British administration’s concern was to use
the schooling system to select a local elite to
work for the colonial government (Boyle, 1995).
In this sense the notion of linguistic imperialism
in using English in the service of colonial
domination is perhaps useful”. (p. 20)
“The language policy helped to perpetuate
British power in a society at the expense of the
quality of education of large sections of the local
population”. (p. 21)

7. Most importantly…
“The colonial education system produced
a largely disempowered populace who
simply could not find their voice in English
and whose voice (Aronovitz & Giroux,
1986) in Chinese was denied”. (p. 22)

8. On the other hand…
Evidence for cultural capital:
• English provided entry into lucrative careers in
an increasingly competitive job market
• All interviews for government or large business
corporations were conducted in English
• A good pass in English was essential for
university entrance
• HK parents sent their children to EMI schools in
the pursuit of enhanced life chances for them

9. So… …
“Hong Kong Chinese have always wanted English”
(p.18)
And
“English has been instrumental in the prosperity of Hong
Kong” (p.19)
Because
“it provides access to cultural and economic capital; this
ensures the economic survival of HK and its citizens and,
as Bordieu suggests, economic capital it at the root of all
other types of capital”. (p.19)

10. Conclusions?
• Educational policies borne out of imperialistic tendencies
give citizens the opportunity to gain cultural capital and
so to improve their life chances
• however, they also reproduce and augment inequalities
of power in favour of the already dominant group(s).
• and can have dire consequences for the maintenance
and survival of one’s native/heritage language and
culture

11. In the end…
As advantageous as it might turn out to
be, is learning an ideologically imposed
language ever a completely FREE choice?