The Role Of English Language Teaching: Linguistic Imperialism Or Linguistic Empowerment

It is self-evident that English is regarded as the "global language" or "international language" and it is undeniable that English greatly benefits the third world in scientific and technological fields by conveying the relative information. However, English provides not only opportunities but also tremendous anxiety to the periphery countries. Along with the worldwide spread English language, Western culture and value system sneaks into the non-English-speaking countries where greate changes have been taking place in lifestyle, worldview and language usage under the influence of the Western culture. Some scholars view this phenomenon as a manifestation of "globalization", "global village" or "integration". They regard it as a necessary process for "globalization". Others term it "cultural imperialism" or "linguistic imperialism". Many people addressed greate concerns over the possibility that the cultures and languages in the non-English-speaking countries will die out someday, just like some dying species. Hence, there are researchers raising such views as "cultural ecology" and "linguistic diversity", and even exclusionary "Cultural Nationalism" or "Chauvinism". All these theories are in the heat of the argument.Referring to these arguments and the actual state in China, the present paper conducts an empirical study with respect to the influence of English on Chinese culture and language under the globalization environment. The study consists of a survey on more than 400 students from 5 colleges and universities by a questionnaire and some interviews. The study has gotten the following findings: The theory "cultural imperialism" has some grounds in China and Western cultures have tremendous influence on Chinese culture and language; most of the students have been westernized to some extent in their life style and language performance; Chinese is actually modified, marginalized or replaced by English and some Chinese words have failed to function well in our daily life; many students' Chinese proficiency is surprisingly poor; having not realized the invasion of English to Chinese, most students are keen to learn English, proud of their ability to speak English and eventhinking that English is more important than Chinese.A conclusion drawn from the findings is: There is a ground for the concerns of the die-out of Chinese language under the English globalization; it is necessary and pressing to stress the protection and maintenance of our native language and culture in the process of English learning and teaching. We have to learn English for China's further development. But we should not lose ourselves and our own culture in the course of learning from other countries. It is equally important to preserve one's own advanced culture and to absorb other's cultural treasures to benefit both oneself and the world.As to what we should do to protect and maintain our native language and culture, the paper proposes that we should, at first, attach great importance to the protection and maintenance of Chinese language and culture and help the students to develop their awareness of national identity. Furthermore, we should help the students to understand the purpose of learning English. Students should know that they learn English language and culture for better use of advanced technology and better communications with foreigners rather than for turning themselves into foreigners.