Liberative Motivation—The Desire to Be Fully Human

This chapter discusses various definitions and theories around second-language acquisition, particularly self-determination theory. We tie elements within self-determination theory to the motivation of Subalterns to acquire English as a means of deliverance from the restrictive class-based academic, professional, and social spaces that they are mostly confined to. We argue that the needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence, which are essential for personal development and well-being, have become enmeshed with the acquisition of English in South Asia. The narratives demonstrate that being able to actually speak English (speech ability) is the most empowering aspect of English for non-elites. We further argue that without knowing English, Subalterns cannot be or act as fully functioning human beings within the South Asian milieu and define their desire to acquire English as “liberative motivation.” We bring all the elements that encompass the motivation of non-elites to acquire the global lingua franca together in the “Subaltern Self-Determination and English Acquisition Framework.”