BAD BAD BAD DELETE THIS ONE Talking Proper

Talking Proper, Episode 1: Linguistic Imperialism, “Proper” English, and the Double Bind for Non‑Native Scholars with Dr. David Owen

Episode Show Notes

Talking Proper is a show for editors who know the basics but crave nuance—especially around language, power, and inclusion in editing. Talking Proper is presented by Dragonfly Editorial and Off the Shelf Productions, and produced by Clock Tower Media.

In this debut episode, host Cynthia Williams talks with Dr. David Owen, associate professor of English literature at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, about his article, “Native here and to the manner born: Academic publishing and ‘proper’ English.” They explore how the dominance of English in scholarly publishing creates a “double bind” for non‑native English–speaking researchers, and how language prejudice and linguistic imperialism shape what gets published—and whose voices are heard.

In the second half, Cynthia and David turn to practical strategies for editors: how to scale back the red pen, work more collaboratively with non‑native authors, and rethink “proper” English without inviting chaos.

Key topics in this episode

• What Talking Proper is about, and why editors need to think beyond “standard” English to World Englishes and power dynamics in publishing.
• The “double bind” for non‑native English–speaking academics and how language prejudice and linguistic imperialism operate in peer review and journal gatekeeping.
• David’s case studies of rejected manuscripts that were later accepted after minor stylistic edits, and what that reveals about whose English is treated as “proper.”
• Practical approaches for editors: scaling back stylistic intervention, collaborating more with authors, and supporting international English without sacrificing clarity.
• How David’s thinking on linguistic imperialism has evolved, and how all of this connects to broader questions about ownership, authority, and literary “purity.”

Major timestamps (approximate)

• 00:00 – Welcome to Talking Proper: what the show is about and who it’s for (editors who want nuance around language and power).
• 00:29 – Introducing Dr. David Owen and his article on academic publishing and “proper” English.
• 01:08 – The “double bind”: why publishing in English disadvantages non‑native scholars.
• 04:44 – Linguistic imperialism: what the term means, why it’s politically charged, and why David uses it anyway.
• 06:49 – Five case studies of rejected manuscripts and what “tweaking” them for style reveals about editorial standards.
• 12:13 – How implicit bias in peer review can conflate language nativeness with scientific quality.
• 18:27 – English as an international language: who “owns” it, and what an evolving consensus around international English might look like.
• 25:06 – Clarifying what David is not saying: there’s still a place for rejecting unclear or structurally weak texts.
• 27:46 – Inside David’s former language advisory work: scaling back the red pen and building more author dialogue.
• 30:03 – The “correction certificate” and how it helps non‑native authors get past skeptical journal gatekeepers.
• 34:47 – Mindset shifts and practical takeaways for editors who want to support international English in their day‑to‑day work.

About the host

Cynthia Williams is a senior editor at Dragonfly Editorial, where she edits material for clients in fields such as clean energy, finance, government contracting, and healthcare. She runs Outside-the-Book.com, a platform where she interviews editors of color and explores ways to make the editing profession more diverse and inclusive. Cynthia also speaks and writes about editorial practice, equity, and the ethics of editing.

About the guest

Dr. David Owen is an associate professor of English literature at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where he teaches literatures in English and the history and culture of English‑speaking countries. His research has examined academic publishing, language policy, and English literature, with particular expertise in the work of Jane Austen. He is the author of the article discussed in this episode, “Native here and to the manner born: Academic publishing and ‘proper’ English,” originally published in English Text Construction.

About Dragonfly Editorial

Dragonfly Editorial is a boutique editorial agency that provides writing, editing, and content strategy services to corporate, nonprofit, and government clients. Its editors work on everything from B2B marketing and technical documentation to thought leadership, proposals, and reports, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and voice. Dragonfly also invests heavily in professional development for editors and is known in the editing community for its training, conference presentations, and commitment to thoughtful, inclusive editorial practice.

Credits

• Host: Cynthia Williams, senior editor at Dragonfly Editorial and founder of Outside-the-Book.com.
• Guest: Dr. David Owen, associate professor of English literature, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
• Presented by: Dragonfly Editorial and Off the Shelf Productions.
• Produced by: Clock Tower Media, Ohio.