global englishes - theories

Question 1

Kachru

Answer 1

• three circles model
  1. inner circle = where english is used as a first language, acquired from birth by most
  2. outer circle = includes countries colonised by Britain and USA where English is spoken as a second language and plays an important historical and governmental role
  3. expanding circle = where English is not an official language, but is recognised as important as a foreign language, perhaps for trade

Question 2

Canagarajah (05)

Answer 2

• there is no universal english language, nor a world standard english

Question 3

Canagarajah (10)

Answer 3

• questioned the validity of Kachru’s circles as migration and modern technology have led to the ‘leaking’ of clearly defined circles

Question 4

Charles Hackett

Answer 4

• random fluctuation theory = language changes due to its own instability

Question 5

Crystal

Answer 5

• english has become the world’s leading language because:
  1. english was distributed around the world as the language of the british empire
  2. it was the language of the industrial revolution, technological innovation and western science
  3. it is the language of the USA, the worlds remaining superpower

Question 6

Schneider

Answer 6

• dynamic model of post colonial english:
  1. foundation = english is newly distributed to geographical area
  2. exonormative stabilisation = english begins to be used, modelling closely on the british standard forms
  3. nativisation = old and new languages become more closely linked; neologisms occur
  4. endonormative = the local variety of english is accepted as the norm
  5. differentiation = new variety reflects local identity and culture

Question 7

Kandiah

Answer 7

• the reason for the spread of the english language was colonisation

Question 8

Mencken

Answer 8

• american english has outgunned british english as america has more citizens and therefore more speakers than britain

Question 9

rampton

Answer 9

• creole was widely seen as cool, tough and good to use, even by those without a black peer group
• it was associated with assertiveness, verbal resourcefulness, competence in sexual relationships and opposition to authority

Question 10

Widdowson

Answer 10

• english was distributed around the world due to colonisation
• this was. in a controlled manner, with standard forms preserved
• today english spreads more naturally around the globe and is no longer controlled allowing it to mix with other languages