The Language of Conquest: The Role of Linguistic Weaponisation in the Establishment of Settler Colonial States

Hall, Jessica Louise (2026) The Language of Conquest: The Role of Linguistic Weaponisation in the Establishment of Settler Colonial States. The NORPAK Review, 1 (1). pp. 5-23.

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Abstract

This paper explores the foundational role of linguistic weaponisation in the establishment of settler colonial states. Through an interdisciplinary lens that synthesises socio-linguistic and settler colonialism theories, this paper reveals a theoretical development of the existing two-step process of settler state establishment. An extensive literature review of both socio-linguistic and settler-colonial theories explores four forms of linguistic weaponisation: against Indigenous environments, Indigenous People, the parallel attack on environments and people, and the widely accepted two-step process in settler colonial establishment. From this, the paper acknowledges that whilst there is existing scholarly work on the role of language in colonialism broadly and a two-step process of forming settler states, there is an opportunity for mutual theoretical enrichment by establishing linguistic weaponisation as a prior, initial stage in the creation of settler states. Through identifying an addition to the existing theories on settler state formation, the paper concludes by highlighting other potential steps in the process. The developed theory is applicable beyond its current settler colonial context, as linguistic oppression and the creation of hegemonic imaginaries, to reinforce stereotypes and narratives, is seen throughout the world.

Item Type:	Article
Publisher’s Statement:	Copyright remains with their respective authors. Unless otherwise indicated, content published in The NORPAK Review is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Third-party materials are excluded from this license and remain subject to their respective copyright terms.
Keywords:	Linguistic Weaponisation, Settler Colonialism, Three-Step Process, Indigenous Sovereignty, Environmental Destruction
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
Department/Unit:	Journals > The NORPAK Review
Date Deposited:	02 Oct 2026 18:17
Last Modified:	02 Oct 2026 18:17
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6370

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