Language policies and Englishes in the United States

This article provides an overview of language policies governing U.S. Englishes (e.g., African American English, Appalachian English, Hawai’ian (Creole/Pidgin) English, and standard/mainstream American English). Several dominant language ideologies, such as the standard language ideology, strongly shape the language policy context for Englishes in the United States. The domains of educational language policy, workplace language policy, and the legal system are explored—revealing layers of institutionalized, covert policies that acknowledge widespread multilectal practices to varying degrees. Recognition and explicit legitimization of such practices through language policies can mitigate some aspects of linguistic discrimination. However, in the US, legal frameworks bound to categories such as race and national origin as well as those that do not incorporate intra-linguistic variation are obstacles to such interventions.