Abstract
In many Southeast Asian countries, English represents a colonial tradition, whose merits co-exist alongside other languages that are also seen as creative : Mandarin, Tagalog, Cantonese, Malay. In the everyday, the bilingualism that emerges in these spaces is playful, with languages like Chinglish and Taglish re-invigorating the old kingdoms of proper English. And yet, as English educators we often take the playfulness out of language learning: we treat English as hierarchical, class-driven, authoritative, dignified, a certificate through which students can maximize their prospects. This essay argues for a playful teaching of English writing that does not see failure in grammar mistakes, or incorrectness in accents. Taking inspiration from writers like Jhumpa Lahiri, Shirley Geok-lin Lim, as well as my own bilingual creative writing students, I explore the ways in which we can perceive of English as a creative medium to communicate self-expression and feeling. In Hong Kong where I work, the colonial routes of bilingualism have always been in the colonial power’s favor, but this has hinged on the presumption that translation was done obediently, in respect to a sacred and immovable linguistic hierarchy, a tower of babel. Teaching in English need not be an authoritative nor a colonial practice. Instead, we can offer students an aporia of meaning engaged in play, delight, and failure.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-11 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | TEXT |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | Special 47 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 31 Oct 2017 |
User-Defined Keywords
- creative writing
- Hong Kong
- English
- Pedagogy
- Translation
- Asian studies