In Julie Traves’s essay “The Church of Please and Thank You,” she stresses the connection between language and culture and insists that students of English as a foreign language (EFL) are absorbing Western values as they learn English, comparing EFL teachers to Christian missionaries who attempt to convert others to their value system. Traves uses the term “linguistic imperialism” (174:7) to emphasize the colonizing power of English, and she advocates for a new way of teaching English so that it can become a bridge between cultures rather than a dominant force (178:25).

For this blog response, I would like you to write a coherent paragraph-length response (at least 125 words) in which you thoughtfully respond to the following questions: Do you agree with Traves that “English has irrevocably changed and acculturated the world already” through linguistic imperialism (179:30)? Do you view English as a culturally colonizing force that is invading and absorbing other cultures, including your own native culture? Why or why not?

Follow the “Blog Response Guidelines” posted on BB > Assignments > Glob. HW Assignments and post your response in the “Leave a Reply” section below before class time on Thursday, 2/6.