(Un)grounded language ideologies: A brief history of translanguaging theory

Abstract

Aims: The authors develop a contrast between grounded and ungrounded language ideologies, defining grounded ideologies as those which are anchored empirically and ungrounded ideologies as those which are not. This framework guides a description of the history of translanguaging theory from early translanguaging theory, grounded in empirical research on codeswitching and other scholarship on bilingualism, to late translanguaging theory, which changed under the influence of a postmodernist approach to language policy known as deconstructivism. The authors further discuss charges of “abyssal thinking” attributed to those who do not accept deconstructivism. Approach: The approach is argumentative. Data and Analysis: The authors draw on a wide range of previously published empirical work to support their conclusions. Conclusions: The authors conclude that late translanguaging theory is at odds with empirical research and holds negative consequences for pluralist language ideologies and civil rights advocacy. Originality: The article makes original contributions to language ideology, the history of translanguaging theory, and the relationship between language theory and language ideology. Significance: The article makes a significant critical contribution to the literature on multilingual language theory by drawing attention to significant limitations of translanguaging theory as a resource for language ideology.