World Englishes

Research a couple of different varieties of English from around the world.

Why is English considered the global language? Thoughts by David Crystal

• Latin 1000 years ago was a widespread language but has now mostly vanished! 
• Power is always behind the reason why language spreads
• English has become global for a several number of reasons:

1. The power of the British empire
2. The power of the American imperialism 
3. 17th century industrial revolution - English was known as the language for science and technology 
4. 19th century the power of money and how this can influence how English has become global 
5. Both elite nations US and UK using English
6. 20th century - cultural power - perhaps pop songs, radio, TV and Internet. 

• If powerful nations, such as US, will continue to use English then it will survive 
• Spanish is the fastest growing language, maybe this will spread even more and surpass the English language? 
• 2 billion speak people! 
• By having one global language across multiple communities, this means that national communication will be much easier 
• American English may dominate out of all the Englishes, such as specific vocabulary. 
• Why is there American English? - Perhaps because whey became independent, they wanted their own form of English. 
• This same idea has been transferred to other nations, such as Manglish (Malaysian and English) and Indian. 

World Englishes - David Crystal

• People want a variety of English that reflects you and your interests 
• Countries who adopt English manipulate it and make it their own! 
• It only takes a matter of weeks for a new variety of English to be produced and utilized  - e.g. When first setting foot on America, there would have been new animals, locations, foliage which would have been created from this country. 
• The main way to distinguish these different Englishes is through the use of the vocabulary E.G. In South Africa's English dictionary, they have 10,000 words which are entirely unique to their own version of English. One key example is the use of the word 'robot', which in our own traditional language use may depict an image of a mechanic machine, however in South Africa it is known as 'traffic lights'. This perhaps could have been the technological development and how this nation may have been 'behind' on this technology therefore saw similar characteristics between a robot and a traffic light. 

American English

• English is the most widely spoken language in the US, which is considered the 'de facto' language
• use of English in America is a result of British colonization of Americans 
• It has been influenced by languages of West Africa, German, Dutch, Irish and Spanish.