Language under exam

certification, power, and exclusion

Abstract

This article critically analyzes language proficiency exams as instruments of certification, control, and mobility in the global context. The study employs a mixed-methods approach based on an online questionnaire completed by 70 multilingual participants, aiming to explore the motivations, uses, and perceptions associated with taking such exams. The findings highlight the hegemony of English as the dominant language in international selection processes, as well as the strategic use of proficiency tests as gateways to universities, employment, and migration. Grounded in a theoretical framework of language policy and symbolic power, the article argues that these tests function as institutional filters that legitimize certain linguistic practices while excluding others that do not conform to dominant norms. The conclusion calls for a rethinking of certification models, advocating for more inclusive and diversity-oriented approaches to linguistic validation.