The Discursive Construction of National Identity in Multilingual Britain

In multilingual, heterogeneous societies language ideologies are constantly constructed and reconstructed in discursive interactions at micro and macro levels. If the dominant, majority group in a society, nation, nation-state, or community considers that the ideal model of society is monolingual, we immediately encounter questions such as "Who is in?" and "Who is out?" A dominant ideology of monolingualism in multilingual societies raises questions of social justice because such an ideology potentially excludes and discriminates against those who are either unable or unwilling to fit the monoglot standard. In this article I review recent research that has illuminated our understanding of language ideologies and social justice in multilingual states, and I offer a detailed analysis of a language ideological debate in local news media. This analysis suggests that detailed scrutiny of the language of media elites is required if we are to come to a fuller understanding of the ways in which hegemonic ideologies are constantly constructed and reconstructed in public discourses.