World Englishes Colonial Backgrounds
Strands of British Expansion Self-determined Colonization: North America Forced Colonization: West Indies, Australia Missionary Colonization: New Zealand Trade Colonization: South Asia: British East India Company (India); Africa: British South Africa Company (South Africa; Zambia; Zimbabwe Competitive Colonization: Worldwide
North American Colonization Begins with Roanoke (1584), the “lost colony” 1607: Jamestown Purposes: Exploitation of natural resources (timber, tobacco); markets; pressure valve for religious discord Southern colonists (to Bermuda) from “West Country” Northern from Eastern England Ulster Scots and Irish begin immigration in 1700s Canada welcomes Scots to “Nova Scotia”
West Indies Destination for slave trafficking Pidgin African dialects give way to Creoles based on French, Spanish, Portuguese, English Plantation-running colonists import prestige varieties of English West Indian colonists become important figures in America (e.g. Alexander Hamilton)
Australia James Cook visits 1700 1788: Sydney penal colony established “First Fleet” brings 130,000 prisoners from London and Ireland London “Cockney” gains a toe-hold Irish include political prisoners as well after 1798 rebellion Includes Aboriginal vocabulary
New Zealand Cook mapped islands by 1770 Whalers and traders settle by 1790 Missionaries come in 1814 Official colony begins 1840 by treaty with Maori European immigration increases dramatically until 1900 Southeast Asian, Pacific, Hong Kong immigration
South Africa Originally colonized by Dutch in 1652 British invade in 1795; control, 1806; colony established, 1820; English official, 1822 Gold/diamond rush, 1870s Black varieties of English develop in opposition to Afrikaans Indian immigration, 1860s Language of ANC, Nelson Mandela 1993, English one of 11 official languages
South Asia British East India Company establishes trading station in 1612 Competes with France for possession; Madras French colony 1765 takes over Bengal 1784 “Board of Control” takes over Universities in Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras, 1857 1858, Company abolished, control to the Crown British Raj lasts until 1947
South East Asia Singapore: 1819, British East India Co. Outpost Malaysia: Acquired from the Dutch (who had taken it from Portugal) in 1824 Hong Kong: 1824-1997 Papua New Guinea: Divided between Germany and England in 1884; Tok Pisin