World Englishes Flashcards
What is diaspora?
A dispersal or spreading out from a central point.
What is level 1 diaspora?
Level 1: large scale migration of English speakers, becomes country’s first language.
What is level 2 diaspora?
Colonisation throughout 18th and 19th centuries, established 2nd language/ official language.
What is an example of a country with level 1 diaspora?
Australia
What is a country with level 2 diaspora?
Nigeria, Kenya.
What is EFL?
English as a foreign language.
What is ELF?
English as a Lingua Franca
What is ELF?
English as a Lingua Franca
What is a Lingua Franca?
A bridging language used as a common language by those whose native languages are different.
How many people are native english speakers?
400 million.
How many people speak English in some capacity?
2 billion (1/4 of the population)
What are the 2 main reasons that English is a widespread world language?
- the British empire.
- the rise of the USA as a world power.
Lingua Francas are necessary during international meetings. Give 2 examples where English is used as a Lingua Franca.
- The olympics.
- Air traffic control.
Why is the word ‘Englishes’ needed?
To reflect the reality of English as a global language and its variations.
Why do varieties of English develop quickly?
- settlers want to communicate and share their experiences/ what they see.
What is a robot in South African English?
A traffic light.
What are the 2 reasons it may be difficult to understand a different variety of English?
- Borrowed words.
- Can be culturally specific language.
What is McArthurs model of world englishes?
A circle of world English sectioning different varieties and placing ‘world standard English’ in the centre.
When did McArthur propose his model?
1987.
What is a strength of McArthur’s model?
Seems to suggest all englishes are equal in value.
What is a weakness of McArthurs model?
We don’t have a ‘world standard’
What is Kachru’s circles of English?
Three concentric circles split into the inner, outer and expanding circle.
What are 3 countries in the inner circle?
USA, UK and Canada.
What are 3 countries in the outer circle?
India, Malaysia and Singapore.
What are 3 countries in the expanding circle?
China, Egypt and Japan.
What type of countries are in the expanding circle?
Those who speak English as a Lingua Franca.
What type of countries are in the outer circle?
Usually world Englishes.
What type of countries are in the inner circle?
Native speakers
What is a strength of kachrus circles?
They help to challenge the us and them theory.
What is a Weakness of kachrus theory?
Suggests the inner circle are more privileged or ‘better’
Who created the dynamic model?
Schneider
What are the 5 key stages of the dynamic model?
Foundation, Exonormative stabilisation, nativisation, endonormative stabilisation and differentiation.
What is Schneiders foundation stage?
When English first appears In a non- English speaking territory
What is Schneiders Exonormative stabilisation stage?
When English begins to be used
What is Schneiders nativisation stage?
When English becomes more normalised and there is influence from within.
What is Schneiders endonormative stabilisation stage?
When a country gains independence and forms its own standards.
What is Schneiders differentiation stage?
When a new variety develops new social and regional variants.
What diaspora does Canadian English belong to?
Level 1
Which of Kachrus circles is Canadian English in ?
Inner circle
What Is the current status of Canadian English?
It is one of Canadas 2 official languages along with French.
What attitudes do Canadians have about Canadian English?
They think it is most like British English
How do Canadians pronounce some vowel sounds?
Which a rounder mouth shapes eg: words such as “out” sound like “oot”
Why was English spoken in Canada ?
- Colonialisation in 1763
- American migration following the American Revolution
Is a Lingua Franca used for functional or social purposes?
Functional
What are the 5 common characteristics of ELF listed by Jenkins?
- Mutually intelligible
- Alternative to EFL as serves a communication purpose
- Elements of standard English and local forms
- Accommodation and code switching
- Varying language proficiency
What 3 linguistic features of ELF did Seidhofer identify
- Pluralisation of mass nouns
- Use of all purpose tag questions
- Omission of definite and indefinite articles eg: the, an, a
What did Nerriere say about using English in business?
Japanese people find it easier to communicate with French people in English than speaking to native English speakers.
In Mail online what did Saraceni say about English?
‘ it’s important the psychological umbilical cord linking English to its arbitrary centre in England is cut’
What is Singlish?
A colloquial/ vernacular variety of Singapore English
Why do the Singapore government like English?
They believe it gives them an economic advantage
Why do the Singapore government think they need the speak good English movement?
They have no natural resources and so need ‘good English’ to keep a space on the world market.
What are 2 linguistic features of singlish?
- Discourse particles
- Reduplication of adjectives
Why does singlish change?
It’s not a fixed language and influences depend on the individual
Why do some people not like singlish ?
They think it is unattractive, ungrammatical and informal
What is a positive of the speak good English movement?
Helps exchange students.
Why did the speak good English movement fail ?
Passion for language, fun and created identity.
What is English seen as in China?
A tool of imperialism
When did English start to be spoken in China?
1970’s
When wasChina Daily established?
1981
What does China believe English opens up for them?
Opportunities, culture, wealth and technology
What caused a growing interest in English in China?
The arrival of multi-national companies
The number of language schools grew rapidly in China. What is an example?
The Wall Street institute
Who normally speaks English better in China, parents or children?
Children
What variety of English is China shifting to and why?
American English as they see a lot of British English as outdated ( Victorian, RP)
What are the concerns surrounding English in China?
That it may have negative effects on the Chinese language and identity.
What are two examples pf linguistic feature of American English?
- Simplified lexis eg: color instead of colour.
- Using ‘like’ as a filler.
What level diaspora is American English?
Level One.
According to Kachru’s theory, what circle does American English belong to?
The inner circle.
When did Noah Webster write the American dictionary of the English language?
1928
Why did Noah Webster change so many spellings and lexemes in his dictionary?
To create a sense of American identity.
When did colonisation begin in American
1607 in Jamestown, Virginia
When was the American war of Independence?
1775- 1782.
What attitude do prescriptivists have towards Americanisms?
See them as a corruption of the English language.
