The Standard Language Myth

   It is obvious that standardization represents power and authority. Standard English is an abstraction, a tool for those in power to isolate from any other varieties. Standard English has a gate-keeping function which excludes the inferior non-Standard English, is prestige and exclusive. However, as Lippi-Green showed it in her article, when we try to analyze the definitions of Standard English, there are quite a few discrepancies. For example, who are the opposite of the uneducated, why the educated population's pronunciation is "more informed, more genuine, and more authoritative" (Lippi-Green, 55), and why those who live in the south of the U.S.A. lack correct English, the latter according to Preston's empirical studies. These discrepnacies prove the standard language myth and present standard/non-standard dichotomy as educated/literate and non-educated/non-literate.

If we dig a little deeper, we can see that Standard language which is "imposed and maintained by dominant bloc institutions" is the result of ideologies, or standard language ideology (Lippi-Green,65). 
If we look at the history of the development of Standard English, we would see that the development of modern Standard English was the only concern of linguists and language historians (Milroy, "The development of Standard English in 1300-1800").Standard varieties are viewed as idealizations, in a finite state, internally invariant, and reside in the writing system (Milroy, 11 ). He explains the occurence of standardization due to a promotion of a national language as a sign of national unity and national language. Thus, there was a strive to legitimize national standard language and present it as pure, unilinear, uniform, and as English of the elite class. This is how we fall into the "false consciousness" (67). It is so deeply rooted because the ideology's "web of common sense arguments" (for example, hearing Standard English in movies, reading Standard English in books, hearing it on the radio,  learning it at school) persuade us again and again that this is they way we should speak, write, and think. So, it is no wonder that it is hard to get rid of the feeling the Standard English is the model and the one that represents interests of those in power. Thus, on the basis of language, those in power make sure that they keep their favored place in the nation-state. (67).

As a TESOL educator, I believe it is very important to unmystify this ideology and strive to promote equality by accepting nonstandard languages and presenting them in school curriculum. Discussions on language ideologies, standardization of languages, recognizion of non-standard languages as legitimate linguistic codes are examples of how to raise awareness among ESL/EFL students concerning the standard language myth and help them not fall under this ideology.