Proposition 227: Dominant Language Ideology

1. In Proposition 227, three language ideologies, dominant language ideology, monoglot language ideology, and standard language ideology are present. Dominant language ideology corresponds to the idea that certain sets of presuppositions about a language might be specific to that certain language from others and are to be above the other languages, mainly used by the people of power (Hauck, Lecture; 11/9/2017). For example, in Proposition 227 it states that, “The English language...is spoken by the vast majority of California residents, and is also the leading world language for science, technology, and international business, thereby the language of economic opportunity” (Proposition 227). This statement makes English seem as if it was the …show more content…
It is also the belief that monolingualism should be the norm (Hauck, Lecture, 11/9/2017) and that “customs, habits and languages, as well as government, should be national" (Battistella 2005, 103). For instance, Proposition 227 states, “English is the national public language of the United States...all children should be taught English by being taught in English” (Proposition 227). Alongside, the ideology of a Standard Language is also present in Proposition 227. Standard language ideology is the belief that any language possesses a standard form, for how to understand the language in general (Hauck, Lecture,11/9/2017). Throughout Proposition 227, it declares an assumption that there is only one standard form of the English language by the use of the word “English” in Proposition …show more content…
Thus, multilingualism, the turning point of Proposition 227 to Proposition 58, is lost when dealing with individuals that strongly identify as AAVE speakers, for instance. As Kroskrity stated “‘I only have to hear someone talk for a short while before I know who they are and where they have been’” (Kroskrity 1998, 112). Putting aside the indirect analysis of racism, some people’s identity is indexical to their way speaking; there are some people that strongly identify themselves to a dialect or language by the way they speak. As a result, Proposition 58’s classification of language negative impact the non-Standard American English dialects by portraying them as the wrong form of English to be fluent on. Therefore, as Lippi-Green stated some “employers have a negative emotive reaction to this feature of AAVE, the invariant ‘be’ form” (Lippi-Green 2012