https://languageonthemove.com/english-and-development-aid-work/ Multilingualism, Intercultural communication, Consumerism, Globalization, Gender & Identity, Migration & Social Justice, Language & Tourism Tue, 19 Nov 2013 23:48:47 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://languageonthemove.com/english-and-development-aid-work/#comment-21966 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 22:24:13 +0000 http://www.languageonthemove.com/?p=14673#comment-21966 Thanks, Kerry, these details of the East Timorese context are very interesting and illustrate well the need for aid workers coming into a country to learn a language used in that country. I don’t disagree with that at all, and my article doesn’t argue for monolingual English aid workers by any means. The situation you’ve described is exactly why I think aid workers I have encountered have become very wary of language imperialism. Nevertheless, you can learn your colleagues’ language at the same time as using your English in ways your colleagues want, rather than avoiding “English work”.

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