Constructing Otherness: A Linguistic Analysis of Grade 10 Textbook Materials in the Mainland

Abstract

This research examines two pieces of materials extracted from the Grade 10 English textbooks of People’s Education Press in the mainland. The data consists of five excerpts selected from these two pieces of material. The research framework is derived from Pandey’s study (2004), whose theoretical framework is based on theories in critical discourse analysis (Van Dijk, 1993; Fairclough, 1994). The six excerpts are examined through two linguistic strategies: 1) the use of pronouns and 2) lexical choices. Through detailed textual and linguistic analysis, the binary polarizations of “us” and “them” as well as the positive self-representation and negative other representation is examined. Based on the discussion of Otherness in textbook materials, the author suggests that to emancipate students from the entrenched values, textbook writers should avoid presenting a single account of a historical event and language teachers should teach students how to identify ideological assumptions in learning materials.