Global englishes and transcultural flows

Abstract

When we return to the question of what types of culture and knowledge may be attached to English in different contexts (Is English a culturally neutral language? How is English related to global flows of culture and knowledge?). we need to understand this as a contingent rather than an inherent set of conjunctions. It is not that English itself implies much in terms of cultural and epistemological framing. but rather that English becomes linked in complex ways to particular practices and formations. In this paper, I will explore two domains in which English serves as a tool and a medium for transcultural flows: Christian missionary use of English as a language of proselytization, and rap/hip-hop as a mode of popular culture. Looking particularly at Malaysian and South East Asian contexts, I will explore the implications and local appropriations of such flows.