heteronormativity / diversity in foreign language pedagogy

[John Dunn]

I would suggest that one answer to the second question posed here might be 'very carefully indeed'.  It is one thing for students to be aware of the sort of terminology discussed here, but if they are going to try to use it themselves, then there is a general and a specific consideration that they might want to take into account.   The first consideration is that the linguistic norms and expectations that apply to foreigners are not necessarily the same as those that apply to native speakers: the former are expected to adhere to a conservative version of the language, and it would be imprudent for learners of a language (unless they have reached a very advanced level indeed) to assume that they have unlimited rights of access to all areas of the language concerned.  The second consideration follows from the first: as the terminology used (in-group language, pejorative terms) indicates, this type of language generally implies a particular relationship to the group in question!
 ; this relationship may be one of association or dissociation or it may be something altogether more subtle or complex (cf. the use of the term 'queer' in Kevin Moss's original e-mail).  That it is extremely difficult for learners to have an adequate awareness of all the implications and connotations of the terminology they may be studying is perhaps a point that most would accept, but I would go further and suggest that use of this terminology lmplies ownership of the system of which it forms part and that this ownership is available only to native and, perhaps, near-native speakers.  Consequently, it may be the case that it is never appropriate for learners, who by definition stand outside the system, to use slang of this sort in a way that is acceptable to native speakers, regardless of whether these are inside or outside the specific community to which the slang refers.   I suspect that these considerations apply to a greater or lesser extent to all languages, but they !
 may have a greater significance for Russian, where the divide between 
Russian and foreigner is perhaps sharper than it is for some other languages or communities.

But others are welcome to disagree.

John Dunn.


________________________________________
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Kevin Moss [moss at MIDDLEBURY.EDU]
Sent: 24 September 2010 18:43
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: [SEELANGS] heteronormativity / diversity in foreign language pedagogy

My colleagues at Middlebury have begun addressing issues of
heteronormativity in language pedagogy both at Middlebury and the
schools abroad. If Seelangers out there have any thoughts on this,
I'd love to hear them. We're now expanding the discussion to include
other kinds of diversity as well (race, class, disability, where
appropriate).

Here were our original questions and the feedback from the first
meeting:

Some topics we should address:

1. How to make space in dialogues / roleplay for non-normative gender
and sexuality, family structures, romance.

2. How can we teach terms / concepts in the target language for
sexual identity: slang, in-group language, pejorative terms.

3. Textbooks: which textbooks actually allow this to happen and how
can we supplement those that don't?

4. Cultural context in the target country(ies), including what not to
say. What is the legal and social status of queers?

<......>

Kevin Moss

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