World Englishes Flashcards
(16 cards)
What are World Englishes?
Different English varieties that have been in existence for some time eg Singaporean English (singlish)
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)
English is a commonality between two parties that do not speak each others language - shaped by speaker’s skills and repertoire
What is Global English?
Represents extensive scope of English and its purpose in modern times
What is International English?
The idea the English is used in international contexts of all kinds
What is the main reason for the spread of the English language
Colonisation
Some people believe that ‘pure’ English has been corrupted with international usage - what is a counter argument to this?
English is a ‘magpie’ and has picked up words from various other languages over time e.g. the German words bagel and kindergarten
What is the first diaspora of language? L1
English speakers settled in large numbers in Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand and established new first language varieties of English
What is the second diaspora? L2
Small groups of English speak settled in South Africa and Asia - begins as a trade language but adapted into a pidgin used as a second language
How many people speak English in each category? (David Crystal, 2008)
L1 - around 400 million
L2 - over 400 million
ELF - between 600 and 700 million
Total - 1.5 billion
Issues with L1 and L2 as definitions?
Divised at a time when things were more static so the phrase English as an additional language (EAL) is useful
What is a pidgin?
Acts as a lingua franca but not in the case of Caribbean pidgin - derived from slavery
Slave owners found it useful to group slaves that didn’t share a common language to prevent rebellion
Slaves picked up on little bits of English and mixed it with each other’s language in order to communicate
It is now developed and commonly used in the Caribbean today
What is a Creole?
When a pidgin become a native language and picks up wider vocabulary and more complex grammar
What is the continuum of Jamaican Creole?
Acrolect - standard Jamaican English
Mesolect - moderate Jamaican English
Basilect - basic Jamaican English
Braj Kachru (1992) concentric circular model
Inner circle - UK, USA
Outer circle - India, Nigeria
Expanding circle - China, Russia
The further in, native speakers and it expands they are less likely to use as a lingua Franca
What was McArthue’s Circle of World Englishes?
World Standard English in the middle
British and Irish English on par with Caribbean English
Then broken down into different dialects
What was Modiano’s Centripetal Circle?
