REFRAMING MULTILINGUALISM IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD: TRANSLANGUAGING,LINGUISTIC INEQUALITY,AND POLICY DISCOURSES IN SOUTH ASIA

Abstract

This study examines multilingualism as a dynamic sociolinguistic phenomenon shaped by globalization, transnational mobility, digital communication, and shifting ideological structures. Drawing on translanguaging theory (Li, 2018; Otheguy et al., 2019) and plurilingual perspectives (Muñoz-Basols, 2019; Modiano, 2023), the research frames multilingualism not as a collection of discrete linguistic codes but as a fluid repertoire embedded in social, cultural, and political systems. While multilingual practices are widely normalized in daily communication, national language policies often remain rooted in monolingual or hierarchical ideologies that privilege dominant languages—particularly English—over regional and minority languages. In South Asia, and specifically in India and Pakistan, English is discursively constructed as a language of modernization, quality, and global competitiveness, while national languages such as Hindi and Urdu are symbolically elevated but functionally restricted. Regional languages, despite being widely spoken, continue to face institutional marginalization. Using a qualitative Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach informed by Fairclough’s (1995) framework, the study analyzes contemporary policy documents, government frameworks, and scholarly discourse from 2017 to 2025. The findings reveal four dominant patterns: (1) English maintains hegemonic authority as a socioeconomic gatekeeper; (2) national languages serve symbolic roles without structural empowerment; (3) regional languages are relegated to cultural domains; and (4) significant gaps persist between policy prescriptions and lived multilingual practices such as translanguaging in classrooms. These results underscore the need for rights-based, inclusive, and contextually grounded language policies that align with UNESCO’s multilingual education agenda and support equitable access to learning. The study argues that multilingualism should be treated as a pedagogical asset and a linguistic right essential for social justice, cultural sustainability, and educational transformation across South Asia.