Scipio Raspberry, Professor of Lexical Sets at the University of Bakerloo, has published a devastating indictment of “lexical imperialism” in the coursebook series, New Footpath. His denunciation of “bland bourgeois Britocentrism” makes uncomfortable reading.

Take the grossly materialistic unit on shopping in NFP Elementary. This shows teenagers from the wealthy nations uncritically buying luxury items, such as key rings and pencil cases, that were manufactured in the sweatshops of Asia. In a visit to the chemist’s (Professor Raspberry’s wry italics), there is a dialogue designed to teach monetary units and question tags:

Chemist: Yeah?
Customer: Box of plasters, mate.
Chemist: Three quid.
Customer: Three quid? Bleedin’ daylight robbery, innit?
Chemist: Take it or leave it, squire.

At no point do they discuss the lamentable lack of research by multinational pharmaceutical companies into the diseases of the developing world, such as sleeping sickness, schistosomiasis and malaria.

The damning exposé continues. A unit on weddings devotes pages to ceremonies around the world, but makes no mention of lesbian and gay partnerships—typical of the pervasive homophobia of the series. The millionaire authors, Jack and Jill Dives, defend this omission on the grounds that the books are sold in conservative countries where homosexuality is taboo, if not punished with public beheadings. Professor Raspberry rightly condemns this as cowardly toadying to profit-obsessed publishers.

In response to accusations that it is far easier to criticize materials than create them, he has written his own revolutionary new coursebook, To Boldly Go (Bakerloo University Press, £29.95).

The contents reflect his preoccupation with what he describes as “the real, sometimes dark and dangerous world out there”. The book follows the adventures of a middle-aged academic and his devoted young assistant. In Unit 1 they lead a workshop, Unit 2 sees them facilitating a series of seminars, while in Unit 3 the academic has to address an international conference. In later units the topics include beards, teaching and anoraks.

Instead of the pedestrian New Footpath step-by-step grammar approach, TBG focuses on functions and the lexical “chunks” that make up so much of our language. Its extensive use of corpora is unprecedented and in fact concordances comprise two-thirds of the book.

The book has been piloted at International Hut, Barcelona and Hermits, Crawley, where 9 out of 10 teachers who expressed a preference said their students preferred it.

To Boldly Go is available from Bakerloo University Press.