Abstract
In Monolingualism of the Other (Stanford, CA: Stanford U P, 1998), Jacques Derrida declares: "I have only one language-it is not mine" (Je nai quune langue, ce nest pas la mienne). This statement is a near impossible postulation, for how can one speak a language that one does not possess? This essay analyses the antinomy of "I have only one language-it is not mine," and Derrida's monolingualism in conjunction with Abdelkebir Khatibi's bilingualism; Khatibi is also revealed as the titular Other. For, as this essay will show, Derrida's postulation is heavily dependent on Khatibi's Du Bilinguism, as well as on some of his earlier writings.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 199-206 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Contemporary French and Francophone Studies |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2014 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Bilingualism
- Derrida
- Incipits
- Khatibi
- Monolingualism
- Other
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cultural Studies
- History
- Visual Arts and Performing Arts
- Literature and Literary Theory