Standard English: the language of equal opportunities and national unity or discrimination and inclusion/exclusion?

Abstract

Most languages have a variety of dialects, both in geographical and socio-cultural terms. At the same time, there is a standard form of the language which is recognised, if not necessarily spoken (and/or written) by the majority of users of that language. This article aims to provide a critical analysis of the concept of standard English in the discourse of language policy in British education, with particular reference to Bourdieu's framework of symbolic power.