We can conceptualize language in different ways, and these conceptualizations shape how languages are taught, learned, and valued in society. For example, Ruíz (1984) proposed a framework of language as problem, right, and resource. He wanted us to reflect on “what is thinkable about language in society” so we can imagine new possibilities (p. 16). Among these orientations, the language-as-resource orientation has been widely embraced as a progressive counter to deficit perspectives (Hult & Hornberger, 2016). However, in contemporary conditions of neoliberal globalization, language-as-resource has increasingly been mobilized within market logics that treat language as a form of capital or commodity. The global expansion of English language teaching and high-stakes proficiency testing illustrates how language abilities are packaged, marketed, and consumed (Cameron, 2012). This presentation argues that, while language-as-resource has opened important possibilities, it is insufficient for resisting the commodification of languages. I therefore propose a complementary fourth orientation: language-as-gift. Drawing on Robin Kimmerer’s (2013) work on gift economy, I conceptualize language as a relational offering sustained by gratitude, reciprocity, and responsibility. From this perspective, language practices are not merely transactions for individual gain but contributions to shared meaning-making and community wellbeing. I ground this theorization in examples from my recent study of argumentative writing in English for academic purposes. Analysis of interview data and student writing samples suggests that the genre of argumentative writing can position language as a personal resource for displaying competence and winning arguments. In contrast, a language-as-gift orientation reframes argumentation as dialogue oriented toward understanding, relationship-building, and the co-construction of knowledge. The presentation concludes with pedagogical implications for EAL educators, including ways to design tasks, assessment, and feedback practices that foreground reciprocity, ethical communication, and relationality in a rapidly changing world. Attendees will leave with practical strategies and reflective questions for their own teaching contexts.
