1. World English Vs. World Englishes
Wednesday Sharing Session
December 2, 2009
Presented by: Sonny Soentanto

2. Definitions & Explanations
World English:
is the concept of the English language as a global means of communication in numerous dialects, and also the movement towards an international standard for the language. It is also referred to as Global English, World English, Common English, Continental English or General English.
Sometimes "international English" and the related terms above refer to a desired standardisation, i.e. Standard English; however, there is no consensus on the path to this goal.
World Englishes:
„Any language variety of English including those developed by communities in which English was not indigenous in modern history.“ ( The Routledge Companion to Sociolinguistics, 2007, p. 234)

3. Why English Has Become a World Language
Historical reasons: spread through trade and colonization, wars, and cultural dissemination.
Educational reasons: English is much more developed than other languages.
Political reasons: Language of super power and language of political institution
Intellectual reasons: scientific, technological, and academic info available in English
Economic reasons: working language in mncs
Practical reasons: international air traffic, emergency services
Entertainment reasons: language of popular music, cultures, broadcasting

4. World (New) Englishes
Forms of New Englishes not uniform in characteristics, but share criteria:
developed through education system
developed in an area where English was
not spoken by majority of people
has become „nativised“ by own language
features
( after J.Jenkins, World Englishes,2003,p 22/23)

5. The Concepts of ENL, ESL & EFL
Three distinct forms of users
increasingly difficult to classify speakers belonging to only one group
but important starting point to understand distinctions and spread of New & World Englishes
May 2007May 2007

6. ENL English as Native Language
language of people born &raised in countries, where English is (historically) the first language
countries like: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
-> as „traditional, cultural & linguistic bases“
around 350 million ENL speakers around the world
Not one single variety, differences in territories (e.g. UK and US)
Norm providing and spoken in the Inner Circle

7. ESL English as Second Language
people living in territories like India, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Singapore
Countries former colonised by British
->English gained importance in administration
English serves official purpose within the country in law, education and government
also worldwide around 350 million speakers
Norm developing and labeled as non-standard, illegitimate, interlanguage, bad, deviant, half baked

8. EFL English as Foreign Language
For speakers of EFL English serves no purpose in own country
Historically learned for communication with ENL speakers
Nowadays used for communication with other non-native speakers
Norm dependent and used in Expanding Circle
Example for EFL: Indonesia

9. Kachru‘s three cirlce model of world Englishes
most influential model describing spread of World English
Connected to the ENL, ESL, EFL concepts
Kachru divides World Englishes in three concentric circles

10. Kachru‘s three cirlce model of world Englishes
The Inner Circle
Countries: UK, USA, Canada,Australia, New Zealand
-> ENL countries
Spoken English as „norm providing“
English-language standards determined by ENL speakers (Inner Circle)

11. Kachru‘s three cirlce model of world Englishes
The Outer Circle
Countries: Bangladesh, Singapore,
India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Tanzania, Malaysia,…
-> ESL countries
Spoken English regarded as „norm developing“ (developing own standards)

12. Kachru‘s three cirlce model of world Englishes
The Expanding Circle
Countries: China, Egypt, Indonesia, Taiwan, Korea, Israel,…
-> EFL countries
Spoken English regarded as “norm performing“
-> standards from Inner & Outer Circles are performed / taken over
But no official status, therefore dependent on standards set by Inner Circle

13. Kachru‘s three cirlce model of world Englishes
Criticism
Model implies uniformity of countries within one circle
-> not true: even in Inner Circle differences in amount of liguistic diversity
todays Immigration left out of account
grey area between Outer and Expanding Circle -> countries in transition from EFL to ESL status, like: Argentina, Belgium, Denmark…

14. Mc Arthur‘s circle of World English
Inner Circle:
World Standard English
-> but not existing in identifiable form
Outer Circle:
Band of regional varieties of English
standard standardising forms forms

15. Mc Arthur‘s circle of World English
„crowded fringe“
Dividing the world into 8 seperate regions
Describe subvarieties of the standard & standardising forms
Examples: Welsh English, Quebec English,…
Summary example:
WSE
American Standard English
Midland

16. Singapore English - Short Overview About History
Singapore was originally part of the Sri Vijaya kingdom of Sumatra
in 1819 the British trader Sir Stamford Raffles leased the island from the Sultan of Johore
it became the 'Straits Settlements' with Malacca and Penang in 1826 (under the East India Company)‏
1867 British colony
taken by Japanese in 1942 (WW II) but became British again in 1945
self-government in 1959
part of the Federartion of Malay from 1963 to 1965
then independent state

17. Singapore English - General Facts
four official languages in Singapore English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil
English is the language of the law courts, government administration and education
,6 percent of students attended English-medium schools (others attended Chinese- and Tamil-medium schools)‏
since 1987 English is the exclusive medium for primary, secondary and tertiary education
main language of commerce and business
main feature: wide social range of its users

18. The Concept of basilect and acrolect use of English
Social dialectic concept
Acrolect (standard):
Used for international communication
And for formal & public intranational interaction
Basilect (colloquial):
Used for informal intranational communication

19. Singapore English - General Facts
on the other hand home-grown colloquial style - so called Singlish
serves the young as a means of solidarity, relaxing and being oneself
vigorous, slangy and creative language
at the higher level there's a government-backed normative variety based on British English
spoken with a near-RP accent
used by Singapore Broadcasting Corporation
influenced by American usage

20. Singapore English - Particular Features
Chinese influence
Chinese particles la(h) and aa/ah used to express emphasis and emotion
la(h) as a token of informal intimacy → Can you come tonight? Can lah/Cannot lah
aa/ah in yes-no questions → You wait me, aa? instead of Will you wait for me?
I come tonight, ah? instead of Should I come tonight?
You think I scared of you, ah?

21. Singapore English - Particular Features
Chinese-style interjections
ay yaah! to express surprise or exasperation
ay yor! to express pain or wonder or both
ay yer! indicating a reaction to something unpleasant and maybe unexptected
che! expressing irritation or regret

22. Singapore English - Pronounciation
vowels in words such as take, so and dare are often single vowels as in Scottish English and not diphthongs as in RP
reduction of final consonant clusters to one spoken consonant
juss for 'just'
tol for 'told'
slep for 'slept'

23. Singapore English - Grammar
tendency of omitting
articles You have pen or not?
plural inflection -s I got two sister and three brother.
present-tense inflection -s This radio sound good.
past-tense inflectinon -ed/-t ask for asked and slep for slept

24. Singapore English - Grammar
direct and indirect objects are often placed first → Me you don't give it to. instead of You didn't give it to me.
also used more often than too, especially at the end of a sentence → But we are supposed to learn Chinese also.

25. Singapore English - Grammar
ways of checking if someone agrees or disagrees or can or cannot do something are pretty informal
Are you coming? Yes or not?
Like it or not?
Are you going? Can or not?
Enough or not?

26. Singapore English - Vocabulary
English words with re-applied meanings
send meaning 'take' → I will send you home.
open meaning 'put on' → Open the light.
close meaning 'put off' → Close the light.
take suggesting 'eat, drink, like' → Do you take hot food?

27. Singapore English - Vocabulary
formal and informal style are less distinct from each other than in British and American usage
that results in a mix of highly colloquial and highly formal use → her deceased hubby rather then her dead husband
words taken from regional languages
for example the Malayan word makan (food) → Let's have some makan.

28. The Implication for LIA
No need to bother about World Englishes if you teach EC, ET, EA.
Expose the students to World Englishes if you teach CV, CIB etc. to raise their awareness and tolerance and provide your students with cross-cultural communication strategies.