Civilizing Monolingualisms: Three Effects of the Coloniality of Language in Brazil during the 21st Century

Abstract

Reinforcing the term proposed by Queixalós & Renault-Lescure (2000, pp. 9-11) in the title, this paper aims to establish relations between the colonial history of Brazil and the policies for language teaching in our country since the beginning of the colonization, in order to analyze traces of linguistic coloniality that are still present nowadays. Through an analysis of the history of language teaching in Brazil (BESSA FREIRE, 2018; GRILLI, 2018; LUCCHESI, 2017; SAVIANI, 2007; SILVA & FAVORITO, 2018), with a theoretical basis in decolonial thinking (FANON, 2008; SOUSA). SANTOS, 2019; VERONELLI, 2015), this paper delimits three effects of the coloniality of language. It is argued that these three effects were launched by the abyssal exclusion of non-white peoples during the colonial period, but they persist firmly in contemporary Brazil. Finally, language education is defended as an emancipating alternative to the civilizing monolingualism, as a way to welcome the multiplicity of knowledges and speeches of the Brazilian people.