Linguistic Imperialism

With the intent of examining the current language policy in Tanzanian secondary education this paper shows how Phillipson’s theory of “Linguistic Imperialism” and Kachru’s model of “World Englishes” combine to give a holistic view on language policies. Taking into account the unique linguistic situation in Tanzania, especially the role of Swahili, it demonstrates how English as a medium of instruction in secondary schools marks a case of “Linguistic Imperialism”.