The value(s) of English as a global linguistic capital: A dialogue between linguistic justice and sociolinguistic approaches

Theorists of linguistic justice tend to assume that English (particularly
its native varieties) has paramount and stable value as a global communicative
tool. From this alleged value they identify several injustices for non-native
speakers, like unequal opportunities and lower dignity, related to the instrumental
and identity-related values of languages. In this article we challenge assumptions
about the real-life value of English by engaging in an interdisciplinary dialogue
that connects normative theories and sociolinguistic theories of value. Through the
analysis of ethnographic case studies, we conclude that the value of English (and
nativeness in English) as linguistic capital is highly context-dependent, to the
extent that possessing native skills may have no positive effects for an English
speaker. Both language-centred factors (linguistic awareness and adaptive skills)
and non-language centred factors (markets and social indexicalities) determine
this value. We highlight that normative approaches to languages cannot address
instrumental and identity-related values separately, because identity is instrumental
to communicative interactions. We conclude that multilingualism fulfils
better than monolingualism (either in English or in state majority languages) the
goals of linguistic justice traditionally associated with the latter. Finally, we
engage in a critical reflection about the suitability and conditions of possibility of
interdisciplinary research.