Chapter 1: English in the world today

Question 1

Why “should” English not be called “English”; according to linguist Michael Toolan.

Answer 1

The language is so culturally removed from the traditional national language of England. It is no longer appropriate. He suggests to use the word “Global” instead.

Question 2

What is English?

Answer 2

“Something you just do”.

Definition in Chambers Dictionary:
“A Germanic language spoken in the British Iles, USA, most parts of the Commonwealth, etc.”
Oxford English Dictionary:
“Of or relating to the West Germanic language spoken in England and also used in many varieties throughout the world.”

Definitions include:

• Communities with wich the language is most associated
• its history (Germanic origin)
• the way it’s now used in various places
• -> all social definitions.

Question 3

variety*

Answer 3

Refes to any distingt form of a language. It can be used to suggest that one form of a language is more presitious or legitimate than another.

So, the different Englishes. A more neutral and general way of saying it.

Often refers to a large-scale or autonomous community; like Jong Kong or Australian english.

Question 4

dialect*

Answer 4

Refers specificially to a language variety in which aspects of the covabulary and grammar indicate a person’s regional or social background.

Question 5

accent*

Answer 5

Refers specifically to differences in pronounciation. It refers to the distinctive and systematic pronounciation which is associated with a vertain population; the actual sound of a language.

Question 6

language*

Answer 6

To refer to something as a language rather than a dialect is to afford it more status. If something is viewed as a language in itw own right, it is accorded a greater respect than a dialect is. In cases there the communities using the varieety have clear political and geographical boundries and institutions and even established literary or cultural histories, the variety is more likely to be seen as a language.

Question 7

Old English*

Answer 7

dates back to the late 10th century AD
letters which are no longer part of the alphabet
“and seo naeddre cwaep wife” (back then wife = woman)

Question 8

Early Modern English*

Answer 8

17th century
“and he saus vnto the woman

Closer to present-day English.

Question 9

Middle English

Answer 9

late 14th century
much closer to the modern English
“Which serpent seide to the womman”

Question 10

Lexis*

Answer 10

Vocabulary

Question 11

Ortography*

Answer 11

Spelling

Question 12

Semantics*

Answer 12

Meaning

Question 13

Syntax*

Answer 13

Word order

Question 14

Why did English change?

Answer 14

It has alway been in contact with other language.

That can be seen in loanwords or bowworing.

Question 15

Loanword/borriwings*

Answer 15

Is used to refert to an item of vocabulary from one language which has been adopted into the vocabulary of another.

→ word keeps foreign appearance: loggia, tricolour, restaurant
→ word becomes completely naturalised (foreignness not noticeable anymore): steak, bamboo, freckle

Question 16

lanuage contact*

Answer 16

process of loanwords is often the result of language contact
→ two or more languages being geographically and socially close
→ dominant language absorbs new items of vocabulary

Question 17

native speakers*

mother tongue*

Answer 17

Language of one’s early childhood.
A NS ist someone who had learnt a language since early childhood, in contrast to a non-native speaker, who has learnt ir later in live.

Question 18

non-native speaker*

Answer 18

Learnt Engslish later in life. Hasn’t grown up with that language.
Does not mean that one iss less competent. Depends on environment, educational background and purpose for which they learn and use the language.

Question 19

English as a Native Language (ENL)

Answer 19

Related term to native speakers.

Question 20

English as a Second Language /ESL*

Answer 20

Refers to the use of English in countries where it has some official or legal statur, most often as the result of a colonial history. For ecample, English is an official language in India and is used in administrative and educational contexts altough it’s not the mother tongue for the majority of the population.

Question 21

English as a Foreign Language / EFL*

Answer 21

Refers to contects where English has no special official staturs but is taughts in schools as something specifically associated with the UK, the USA or other English-speaking countries.

Example: in Japan chilrden will learn English for the same purposes as children in the UK learn French - they are not expecting to use it as part of their everyday life in society but as a useful tool to travel or want to learn about cultures of English-speaking nations.

Question 22

Official language*

Answer 22

Language used in administration

Question 23

International language*

Answer 23

English allows communication with preple from a wide range of places.

Question 24

English as an International Language/EIL*

Answer 24

An added abriviation to ENL, ESL and EFL.

The language which is used for international communication.

Question 25

lingua franca*

Answer 25

Language that operates as a meanos of communication for people across the globe who do not share a mother tongue but who still need to interact due to globalisation.

Question 26

The three Cicles of English (Kachru)

Definition, what do they represent?

Answer 26

Circles represent the typpes of spread, the patterns of acquisition and the functional allocation of English.

Question 27

How Kachru expands on the categories (Circles of English)

Answer 27

• the historical process that has resulted in English occupying its current position in particular counries.
• how members of countries usually com to acquire the language.
• the purpose of funcitions to which the language is put in particular counties.

Question 28

Inner circle*

Answer 28

Refers to traditional cultural and linguistic bases of English.

Composes of those places where the language is the mother tongue for the majority of populations and where it operates as the default language for all fomains of society.

Also comprises those countries colonised by the British where English displaced indigenous languages and is now firmly embedded as the majority language.
- USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

These countries are “norm-providing”, in that English operates as the model for the type of English that is taught around thew world.

Question 29

Outer circle*

Answer 29

Comprises countries in which the current statis of English is the result of colonisation but it has not displaced the indigenous languages, but instead was ues alongside them for vertain specific roles. (ESL countries).
Engl. is an additional language used in certain contexts such as bureaucracy and education.

They are “norm-developing”.
The varieties of English uses are indigenised varieties.

• Bandladesh, Ghana, India, Keny, Malaysia, Pakistan, Zambia, etc.

Question 30

Indigenised varieties*

Answer 30

Varieties of English spoken in outer circle countries that are rooted in the culture.

Question 31

Expanding circle*

Answer 31

Refers to the rest of the world. Eng. is viewed and taught as a foreign language.
They are “norm-dependent”.
EFL counties.

Question 32

World Englishes*

Answer 32

Kachru’s model shows that itwe need to see the presence of the language around the globe as consisting of serval Englishes rather than a single, monolithic entity.

Question 33

Limitation of the circle model

Answer 33

• Theoretical model
• Generalisation; there is a great cariety within the countries (regional and social dialects)
• Doesn’t adequately capure the heterogeneity of English.

The model only deals with language at the level of the nation state but not with the variety within the country.
People often mix the language with other languages in an ad hoc manner.
It also fails with countries that do not fit into its scheme (South Africa with eleven official languages). Even bilingual Canada does not fit in this circle.
Also it dies not accommodate countries whose status is shifting. Like Scandinavan Countries where Eng. has been a foreign language but is an integral part of everyday life where it has almost the status of a second language.

–> It a convenient generalisation.

Question 34

Strengts of the model (Circles)

Answer 34

● good starting point
● mentioning them as “English” not simply as non-native dialects (acknowledges / legitimises / inclusive for all users of English)
● draws attention on the importance of historical and political processes