Trans-Speakerism and Power

This Element canvasses language, power, identity, and trans-speakerism, and the relationships that bind them. Arguing that native-speakerism remains a hegemonic ideology that devalues so-called non-native speakers, it advances trans-speakerism as a principled alternative for rethinking who counts as a bona fide language user, teacher, and researcher. The opening sections situate the concept theoretically and answer ten critical questions that distinguish it from translanguaging, plurilingualism, and the non-native speaker movement. Resting on interviews with researchers working across diverse contexts, the Element then develops a tri-level framework of trans-speakerism as a power shifter, operating through repositioning, reframing, and redistributing. It shows how power can be redistributed at individual, methodological, and structural levels to honor varied voices and forms of expertise. Closing with future directions, the Element positions trans-speakerism as praxis for linguistic identity justice by offering practical tools for building more equitable futures for all language users.