A presentation based on a paper about how the linguistic creativity of L2 speakers of English is a form of authorship of self.

1. The authorship of self and the emerging
lingua-culture of the English learner:
Does this language represent me?
Juliana Silva
Lucielen Porfirio
UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DA BAHIA
English as a Lingua Franca: Criticism, Attitude and Identity

2. Introduction
 The view of the subject that feels limited in his/her
representation of self in a foreign language;
Otherness and some pedagogical controversies;
Context: English and its current status as a global
language (Crystal, 2003; Siqueira, 2008);

3. Introduction
Language and culture meet and a third lingua-culture
is built through negotiation of meaning and
representation (views of the world); (Kramsch, 1993).
How is it possible to allow for a dialogue between
cultures if the learner cannot use his/her creativity to
express him/herself well?

4. 2. The construction of the subject in the language
 Comparison of the legitimation process in the acquisition of a mother
tongue and a foreign language;
 Otherness: using somebody else’s language creatively (L1 & L2);
Derrida (2001: 57), “we never speak if not [somebody else’s] language
– and it is disproportionally, to them returning, always somebody else’s,
and kept by them. It comes from them, continues being theirs, and is led
back to them.”

5. Deconstruction of the imaginary homogeneity of
language and the binary thinking that comes from it:
standard x non-standard, spoken x written registers, L1 x
L2, etc. (Cesar e Cavalcanti, 2007).
Questioning ownership (authorship): speakers and
listeners co-build communication – they are inseparable
(Assis-Peterson, 2006).
Nativeness: the criteria are not clear enough.

6. Conceptually, there are no native speakers in a lingua
franca or global language (Seidlhofer, 2011;
Rajagopalan, 2004).
Language is shaped by the context (Assis-Peterson,
2006).
In negotiation of meaning between interlocutors in a real
situation (Kramsch, 1993), there is also negotiation of
cultural identities (Hall, 2006);

7. 3. The linguistic process of taking ownership
 Cesar (2011: 85) explains that, she “sought to revisit the authorship in
sociocultural practices, expanding its comprehension onto something
collectively constructed, political, which encompasses, phenomenally,
interaction and utterance”.
 Eckert-Hoff (2010: 85) asserts that “the identity matter passes, necessarily,
through the linguistic matter”.
 The student as “an entirely receptive subject” (Cesar, 2011: 85).
 The death of the author (Barthes, 2004): the learner dies as an author, for
he/she only reproduces words and ideas, as if he/she did not have a soul,
whenever he/she dares to use the language that is someone else’s.

8.  The NS model that is so highly estimated is arbitrary and fictional
(Widdowson, 2012).
 The effort to erase traces from the L1 of the learner reveals the
belief that a foreign language can only be learned properly if its
learner is undressed of himself to embrace a new culture and
representation of self. Is that even possible?
 Cesar (2011) spoken language vs. written language and standard
vs. non-standard use of English.
 Writing and Standard variety for social mobility of the subalterns
(Cesar, 2011: 89).

9. Learning how to read and write inserts the individual in the
world (Freire, 1999).
“Appropriating of systems of representation to produce an
authorized counter-discourse” (Cesar, 2011: 90). It is a
metadiscourse that stands in opposition to the “the danger of a
single story” (Adiche, 2009).
Authorship is not restricted to literate people (Cesar, 2011: 88)
as it is not restricted to native speakers.
The autonomy of learners/users of English must be
encouraged, for ownership implies authorship.

10. 4. The English classroom: a place for recognition of authorship
in the language
 How should we understand this language, which visits many
other cultures, areas and communication perspectives, inside a
classroom?
 (Re)conceptualizing English: a kaleidoscope (César e
Cavalcanti, 2007) – multishapes and multiple possibilities, it
seems to explain the change of the concept of language as
representing a stable nation, identity and territories.

11.  How can teachers and students recognize the authorship of their
linguaculture in the use of English?
re.co.nhe.cer (lat recognoscere) vtd 1 Conhecer de novo (to
know again) vpr2 Conhecer a própria imagem (to know one’s
own image 4 Admitir, ter como bom, legítimo ou verdadeiro (to
admit, see as good, legitimate or true); vtd 5 Ficar
convencido de; estar certo ou consciente de (to be convinced
of; to be certain or aware of) ; R. um filho: confessar-se
autenticamente pai ou mãe de um filho natural (a child:
confess he/she is somebody’s authentic biological parent).

12.  A process of mutual recognition as asserted by Kramsch (1993:
220), “it is through somebody else’s eyes that we may know
ourselves and others”.
 Recognizing students authorship in language takes continuous
actions that are not always simple or peaceful - An interculturally
sensitive education (Mendes, 2011), respecting differences and
building bridges (Kramsch, 1993; Mendes, 2008).

13. Final Reflections
 Thinking about the learner as an autonomous subject who
has a free way/decision to the use of varieties and variations
of the L2.
 Follow the model of an ideal speaker = avoiding the speaker
linguistic creativity
 Promoting interactions based on the concept of the language
as a multishaped construction – open up to possibilities of use

14. Final Reflections
 When we allow ourselves to think of the mixing from a
positive perspective, we can abandon the idea of a dominant
untouchable model and we take ownership of the language.
 Look for other voices and other possibilities = creativity,
interaction, cultural identity fluidity.

15. References
ADICHIE, C. N. The Danger of a Single Story. In: TED, 2009. Disponível em
<http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story/transcript?language=
en> em 12 de dezembro 2014.
ASSIS-PETERSON, A. A. Hippie ou Hype? – para refletir sobre o binômio erro correção no ensino de
língua. In: MOTA, K.; SHEYERL, D. (Org.). Espaços lingüísticos: resistências e expansões. Salvador,
UFBA, 2006, p. 147-148.
BARTHES, Roland. A Morte do Autor. In: O Rumor da Língua. São Paulo: Martins Fontes, 2004.
CESAR, A. L. S. Construção da autoria. In: _____ Lições de Abril: a construção da autoria entre os
Pataxó de Coroa Vermelha. Salvador: EDUFBA, 2011.
CESAR, A. L.; CAVALCANTI, M. C. Do singular para o multifacetado: o conceito de língua como
caleidoscópio. Em: Transculturalidade, linguagem e educação. Campinas: Mercado de Letras, 2007.
CRYSTAL, David. English as a global language. Second Edition. Cambridge University press: 2003.
ECKERT-HOFF, B. M. (Dis)sabores da Língua Ma(e)terna: os conflitos de um entre-lugar. In:
ECKERT-HOFF, B. M.; CORACINI, M. J. R. F. (orgs). Escrit(ur)a de si e alteridade no espaço papel-
tela. Campinas, SP: Mercado Letras, 2010.

16. References
FREIRE, P. A importância do ato de ler: em três artigos que se completam. 37 ed. São Paulo:
Cortez, 1999.
HALL, S. A identidade cultural na pós-modernidade. 11 ed. São Paulo: DP&A, 2006.
KRAMSCH, C. Context and culture in language teaching. New York, Oxford University Press,
1993.
MENDES, E. Língua, Cultura e formação de professores: por uma abordagem de ensino
intercultural. In: MENDES, E.; CASTRO, M. L. S. (Org.) Saberes em Português: ensino e
formação docente. Campinas, SP: Pontes editores, 2008.
RAJAGOPALAN, K. The concept of ‘World English’ and its implications to ELT. ELT Journal, v.
58, n. 2, Oxford University Press, April, 2004, p. 111-117.
SEIDLHOFER, B. Understanding English as a lingua franca. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2011.
SIQUEIRA, D. S. P. Inglês como língua internacional: por uma pedagogia intercultural crítica.
Tese de doutorado. Universidade Federal da Bahia – Instituto de letras, 2008.
WIDDOWSON, H. G. ELF and the inconvenience of established concepts. Journal of English as
a Lingua Franca, 2012, p. 5 – 26.