Abstract

In this article, we try to show how language expansion, language strategies, etc. are envisaged in various theories of (economic) imperialism. In order to establish this, we turn to economic interpretations of imperialism, namely Hobson and Lenin, world-system analysis (Wallerstein, Amin, Arrighi) and the Empire theory of Hardt and Negri. By studying them, we singled out the key characteristics of imperialism that are found in most (economic) theories of imperialism, namely: (1) the creation of market relations (and the market in general) between the metropolis/core/imperial country and the colony/periphery/subjugated territory, (2) the presence of an advantage in this relations for the metropolis/core/imperial country, which is most often described as a monopoly position, (3) finally, often, but not always, the economic exploitation of the conquered territories is stated. We note that the market is (in particular) a communicative phenomenon, which at least involves the possibility of understanding between the buyer and the seller; thus, language appears as a condition that enables exchange and even consumption. We demonstrate that the popularization and expansion of the language also means the imposition of competition; therefore, capital competition should automatically imply language competition, and the intertwining of markets also the "intertwining" of languages (and vice versa). Using the example of the Commonwealth, we show how language is capable of forming spheres of influence and the centre of gravity of capital. With reference to Rancière, we note that lingua franca projects are capable of both inclusion in the economic system (regions, countries, etc.) and exclusion from it (poor stratas). Finally, we draw attention to the fact that language is capable of acting as cultural capital in Bourdieu's understanding, and therefore capable of being converted into economic capital.