From the language part of work to the languages of academia

Abstract The aim of this paper is to offer a critical reading of J. Boutet’s work from my position as an Argentine linguist who has been working for many years in interdisciplinary teams, including labor scholars and trade unionists. This position motivated the reading I propose here on three aspects of Boutet’s work in relation to language: (1) the concept of “language part of work” and its contribution to interdisciplinary dialogue in labor studies; (2) the idea of “language without thought” and its political implications for trade union action; (3) the meaning of academic monolingualism for academic work. In writing from that position, I understand that my reading takes Boutet’s production out of its original context to insert it into discussions and concerns that are not her but mine. In doing so, I do not intend to be unfair to an intelligent and provocative work, but to link it to my own concerns in the fields of research, political action and academic work.