From Readymades to Riddles: Applying Duchamp’s Artistic Philosophy to Language Learning

First, Duchamp’s concept of the readymade, an everyday object elevated to art through deliberate intention, encourages language teachers to value authentic, non-traditional texts. Just as Fountain (1917) redefined what society could deem art, an assemblage of classroom materials such as graffiti, memes, pop art, or song lyrics can reframe what is considered “valid” linguistic input. Scholars like Gilmore (2007) support this view, arguing that “authentic materials are more likely to reflect the communicative needs of learners outside the classroom” (p. 98). When learners decode a social media post or interpret a street sign, they are not merely acquiring vocabulary; they are engaging with culture, tone, register, and contextual nuance. Such materials can even reflect the persuasive power of language, as they are often crafted to sway opinions or shape identity. By treating authentic texts as linguistic readymades, educators can help students build meaningful connections between classroom learning and the complex world beyond it, a world where learners must leave their hearth and home to engage with, where language is lived, persuasive, and ever evolving.

Second, Duchamp’s rejection of aesthetic orthodoxy parallels a call to challenge linguistic purism in ELT. Just as Duchamp resisted the confines of academic painting, language educators can encourage learners to experiment freely with language without the fear of making errors. Communicative competence, as defined by Canale and Swain (1980), includes strategic competence, the ability to negotiate meaning, not merely produce grammatically perfect sentences. Through activities involving slang, code-switching, or invented expressions, learners begin to see language not as a rigid structure, but as something that takes shape and substance through use, intent, and context. Without such experimentation, the classroom risks becoming a bleak island of isolated rules, detached from the vibrancy of real-world communication. By promoting linguistic risk-taking over rote correctness, whether in academic settings or authentic environments, educators support a speedy journey toward fluency, confidence, and creative autonomy.

Third, Duchamp’s prioritization of ideas over form mirrors the growing emphasis on conceptual understanding in language use. Rather than being cast down into repetitive grammar drills, textbook dialogues, or memorized vocabulary lists, learners should be encouraged to tell stories, share personal anecdotes, voice opinions, and solve problems using whatever linguistic tools they have at hand. This meaning-first approach aligns with Vygotsky’s (1978) socio-cultural theory, which views language development as intimately tied to thought. When students focus on expressing meaning, even through fragmented or approximate language, they engage more authentically with communication and begin to understand how the target language operates in real contexts. In this process, the learner’s desire to communicate becomes a blazing torch that illuminates the path toward fluency, rather than something to be given for ransom in exchange for grammatical perfection. As Duchamp might suggest, they evolve into “intellectuals of expression,” not mere technicians of syntax and vocabulary.

Duchamp’s fascination with time and motion, particularly in Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2, invites parallels with the temporal and ever-shifting nature of language. Language is not static; it changes across time, generations, and media. Teaching students about language evolution, such as how texting has transformed syntax or how certain idioms fall out of use, helps them see English as a living system. As Larsen-Freeman (2003) notes, language is a “complex, dynamic, and nonlinear system” (p. 34), and embracing this dynamism makes learning more relevant and engaging. A high level of reciprocity between learners and their linguistic environment is the bedrock of communicative competence. Without an appreciation of language’s fluid nature, learners may be sorely disappointed when textbook English fails them in authentic interactions.

Fifth, Duchamp believed that an artwork was not complete without the viewer’s interpretation: “The creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external world” (Sanouillet & Peterson, 1973, p. 140). In language learning, this translates into a constructivist approach where students co-construct meaning rather than passively absorb knowledge. Song lyrics, for example, can serve as powerful interpretive texts. When learners encounter the line “We're just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl, year after year” (Gilmour & Waters, 1975), they may connect it with themes of isolation, routine, or longing, depending on their personal experiences and cultural background. In such moments, the classroom becomes a space where no longer does one stand on the prow of the barge alone, meaning is created through interaction, not delivered from above. Instead of seeking a single “correct” interpretation, educators can have everything in readiness for students to engage emotionally and intellectually with the material. The secret lies in harnessing learners’ voices, perspectives, and insights to transform texts into personal, living experiences. This approach aligns with Freire’s (1970) vision of dialogic pedagogy, where learners become co-creators of meaning rather than recipients of fixed content.

Lastly, Duchamp’s use of humor, irony, and wordplay reminds language educators of the value of creativity and play in the language classroom. His L.H.O.O.Q., a playful parody of the Mona Lisa, exemplifies how meaning can be layered, subverted, and reimagined through language. In ELT, this might take the form of puns, riddles, or surrealist games like the Exquisite Corpse to help learners explore the flexibility of expression. Such practices invite students to cease plying their nets for rigid grammar rules and instead discover the wondrous hoard of meanings and associations that language can yield. Rather than being swept down by the pressures of correctness and performance, learners engage language with curiosity and delight. Research supports the cognitive and affective benefits of humor in language learning, showing that playful activities reduce anxiety and boost motivation (Bell, 2009). Language play not only enhances linguistic dexterity but also cultivates joy, a quality too often overlooked in formal instruction.

In conclusion, applying Duchamp’s theories to ELT challenges educators to go beyond traditional models and embrace a more imaginative, learner-centered paradigm. His legacy compels us to reimagine what counts as language, how meaning is made, and who holds interpretive authority. By incorporating authentic materials, encouraging risk, prioritizing meaning, acknowledging language change, empowering learners, and infusing play, we create language classrooms that reflect the complexities and pleasures of real-world communication. Educators who forfeit rigid methods in favor of exploratory ones may find themselves battling pesky uncertainties, yet that discomfort is where true growth begins. At times, we may even be out of our wits, unsure of outcomes or resistant to relinquishing control, but such disorientation is often the threshold of creativity. As Duchamp once quipped, “I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own taste” (Sanouillet & Peterson, 1973, p. 141), a reminder to educators that innovation often begins with stepping away from the expected.

📚 References

Bell, N. D. (2009). Learning about and through humor in the second language classroom. Language Teaching Research, 13(3), 241–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168809104697

Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1–47.

Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum.

Gilmore, A. (2007). Authentic materials and authenticity in foreign language learning. Language Teaching, 40(2), 97–118.

Gilmour, D., & Waters, R. (1975). Wish You Were Here [Song]. On Wish You Were Here. Harvest Records.

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2003). Teaching Language: From Grammar to Grammaring. Boston: Heinle.

Sanouillet, M., & Peterson, E. (Eds.). (1973). The Writings of Marcel Duchamp. New York: Da Capo Press.

Tomkins, C. (1996). Duchamp: A Biography. New York: Henry Holt.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

🗣️ Discussion Exercise: “Would Duchamp Teach Grammar?”

Purpose: To stimulate reflection and debate about creativity, control, and interpretation in language teaching—through the lens of Duchamp’s artistic provocations.

Instructions:

1.    Read the following statements inspired by Duchamp’s philosophy.

2.    In small groups or pairs, discuss whether you agree or disagree with each one.

3.    Be ready to share your group’s takeaways and examples with the class.

Statements for Discussion:

1.    “Students should have the final say in what a text means—just as the viewer completes the artwork.”

2.    “Grammar rules are like museum walls: they confine creativity more than they guide it.”

3.    “A learner’s ‘mistake’ may be their most original contribution to a conversation.”

4.    “Authentic communication is more valuable than polished accuracy.”

5.    “The teacher should be more of a ‘curator’ than a ‘sculptor’ in the classroom.”

6.    “Play and irony belong in serious learning.”

💡Follow-up question:
If Duchamp designed your next English lesson, what would it look like?