What is it about?
This publication explores the concept of “translanguaging,” which is a way of understanding how people use multiple languages in everyday life. Traditionally, languages have been seen as separate systems, but translanguaging challenges this idea by showing how people mix and use all their language skills creatively and flexibly. This approach has been praised for helping multilingual learners in schools and promoting inclusivity. However, the paper also highlights potential risks, such as applying translanguaging in situations where it might not be appropriate or ignoring the unique ways different communities understand and use language. Language is not just a tool for communication but a dynamic and complex part of how people experience and shape the world. We emphasise the importance of listening to the perspectives of different communities to understand how they view and use language. For example, some groups may value keeping languages distinct as a way to preserve their cultural identity, while others may embrace fluid mixing of languages. Ultimately, the paper argues for a more open and thoughtful approach to studying and teaching language. It suggests that translanguaging can be a powerful tool for challenging traditional ideas about language, but it should be used carefully and with respect for the diverse ways people understand and practice language in their lives.
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Why is it important?
What sets this work apart is its focus on “ontological curiosity” which rests on the idea that we must remain open to the diverse ways people understand and use language. By emphasising the importance of insider perspectives, the article challenges the assumption that translanguaging is always the best approach. We explore how different communities may have unique ways of conceptualising language, including cases where maintaining clear distinctions between languages is a deliberate and meaningful act tied to identity, history, or spirituality. The difference this work might make lies in its call for a more nuanced and context-sensitive application of theoretical concepts in language studies, and of the concept of translanguaging in particular. We encourage educators, researchers, and policymakers to critically evaluate when and where translanguaging is appropriate, rather than assuming it is universally beneficial. By doing so, this research has the potential to foster more inclusive and effective language practices that respect the diverse realities of language users around the world.
Perspectives
Translanguaging has made a huge impact on language learning and teaching. It now shapes not only how people think and talk about language teaching, but how they evaluate classroom pedagogy. However, like any other concepts that become popular in education, translanguaging should not be immune from careful consideration. Our paper adds to the discussion of where translanguaging might be appropriate – and, equally, where it might not be. I hope that it propels other language teachers, researchers, and teacher educators to continue thinking carefully and reflexively about all the concepts we draw on. (Dr L. Gurney) To me, this feels like a timely and much-needed contribution to language studies, and to broader debates about how we think about language itself. It reminds us that, while we need to remain critical of the concepts we use to make sense of the world, we should be equally cautious of any framework that presents itself as universal. Most importantly, it points toward an understanding of language that emerges from the people who actually use, shape, and bring it into being. (Dr E. Demuro)
Dr Eugenia Demuro
Research Strategies Australia
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Insider perspectives and ontological curiosity, Language Culture and Society, December 2025, John Benjamins,
DOI: 10.1075/lcs.25030.gur.
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