WORLD
ENGLISHES
ARSAD M. MACALONTO
“WE CAN NO LONGER SIMPLY VIEW
ENGLISH AS A WORLDWIDE LINGUA
FRANCA; RATHER, AS MANY NONNATIVE
VARIETIES OF ENGLISH BECOME
STANDARDIZED.”
BRAJ KACHRU
NATIVE SPEAKER, FOREIGN LANGUAGE, AND
LINGUA FRANCA COMMUNICATION
In native speaker communication between (e.g.) persons
from the UK and the USA, problems are unlikely, though
different accents and colloquialisms (slang) may
occasionally affect understanding. Countries where English
is likely to be used in this way are sometimes referred to as
‘inner circle’ countries.
In foreign language communication, as shown in the photo
below, either the American or the Filipino person will need
to know the language of the other person in order to
successfully communicate – the American will need to know
and use Filipino, or the Filipino will need to know and use
English.
In situation such as this, the Japanese Prime Minister does
not understand Indian language while the Indian Prime
Minister does not understand Nihonggo, so they cannot use
their native languages to communicate in any meaningful
way. However, if they both know English, they can use it as a
lingua franca to communicate.
WORLD ENGLISHES
As Bolton (2004, p. 367) points out, there are three possible interpretations
of the expressions World Englishes. Firstly, it serves as an “umbrella label”
covering all varieties of English Worldwide and the different approaches and
the analyze them. Secondly, it used in narrower sense to refer to the
so-called new Englishes in Africa, Asia, and the Carribbean (Kachru’s outer
circle). Thirdly, it is used to represent the pluricentric approach to studying
English associated with Kachru and his colleagues, often referred to as the
Kacrhuvian approach. However, there is considerable overlap between this
and the second interpretation of the term.
The first use is also sometimes represented by some other
terms, including Worldwide English (i.e., in the singular),
international English(es), and global English(es), while the
second is in fact more commonly represented by the terms
nativized, indigenized, institutionalized, and new Englishes
or English as a second language.
WHAT DOES “WORLD ENGLISHES” MEAN?
The Expanding Circle
The Outer Circle The Inner Circle
China, Egypt, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India USA
Israel, Japan, Korea, Ghana, Kenya, UK
Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Malaysia, Canada
Taiwan, Russia, Pakistan, Philippines,
Zimbabwe, South Africa,
Australia
Singapore, Sri Lanka,
Caribbean Islands New Zealand
Tanzania, Zambia
(EFL)
(ESL)
Braj Krachu’s Three Concentric Circles (1985)
WHAT DOES “WORLD ENGLISHES” MEAN?
The Expanding Circle
The Outer Circle The Inner Circle
countries where English
the norm-providing
English is used as the has been institutionalized
primary foreign countries
as a language with an
language. important function
the norm-depending the norm-developing
countries countries
Braj Krachu’s Three Concentric Circles (1985)
MCARTHUR’S CIRCLE OF ENGLISH (1987)
SCHNEIDER’S DYNAMIC MODEL (2003, 2007)
Schneider (2014) proposed another model that presents a broader perspective of the
spread of the English language.
Edgar Werner Schneider tries to avoid a purely geographical and historical approach
evident in the “circles” models and incorporates sociolinguistic concepts pertaining to acts of
identity. He outlines five characteristics stages in the spread of English:
Phase 1 – Foundation
Phase 2 – Exonormative Stabilization
Phase 3 – Nativisation
Phase 4 – Endonormative Stabilization
Phase 5 - Nativization
PHASE 1 - FOUNDATION
Describes the initial stage of the introduction of the English language to
a location over a period of time. It is expected that this stage, there are two
linguistic processes occurring: the use of English (foreign explorer) and
indigenous languages (settlers), and the emergence of different variants of
English (among the settlers) which would lead to the development of a new
stable dialect. In this stage bilingualism is minimal; some settlers play the
role of an intermediary between the foreigner and the settlers; lexical items
are borrowed from one or both languages; and local terms are adopted in
the English conversation.
PHASE 2 – EXONORMATIVE STABILIZATION
Happens when the settlers have come to adopt the foreign
influence. The foreign language has now increased its prominence in
many key institutions in the society while adoption of the local
varieties is maintained to a certain degree; therefore, bilingualism is
taken as an asset among the Indigenous settlers. Through education
and constant exchange with foreigners, a new community of
indigenous elite is born.
PHASE 3 - NATIVIZATION
occurs when the foreigner develops a new identity based
on inherent and acquired realities. For settlers, they have
eventually stabilized a second language that characterizes
the interlanguage processes and features of the foreigner’s
koine English.
PHASE 4 – ENDONORMATIVE STABILIZATION
It is in this stage where the English that can be
considered “local” has flourished. Local nuances have
become familiar, accepted, and thus, local settlers have
found for themselves a certain degree of linguistic
confidence.
PHASE 5 - DIFFERENTIATION
Is where the delineation of a local English koine becomes
really evident. During this time, the territory projects itself
as having an identity from a colony to something that is
fusion of its regional, social, and ethnic influences.
PHILIPPINE ENGLISH
In many countries, largely those with a colonial past, English is
also an official or co-official language, used in areas, such as
education, national media, politics, and business (Seone, 2016). The
Philippines, which has a very colorful experience of colonization by
the Americans, has acquired English as one of its official languages
(after Filipino/Tagalog). However, the kind of English (sound,
morphology, syntax) is observably distinct.
It has been observed in sociolinguistic studies that Filipino
transliterate (think in Filipino and translate word-for-word in
English). Usually the outputs are lexemes and syntax that seen
awkward compared to Standard English. This is so because the
syntactic structure of the Filipino language is different compared to
that of the English language. Also, there are terms that do not have a
one-to-one correspondence when it come to meaning in both
languages.
EXAMPLES
1. Pakiptay ng ilaw. (kill the light.)
2. Bumaba ng jeepney. (Go down the jeepney.)
3. Saglit lang ha? (For a while.)
4. Pumupunta ako doon araw – araw. (I am going there everyday.
PHILIPPINE ENGLISH AND STANDARD ENGLISH
Philippine English Standard English
Avail of Take advantage
Fill up this form Fill out this form
For a while / for a moment One moment (informal)
Go here Come here / go there
Hold on the line May I put you on hold?
I’ll go ahead. See you later.
Can I speak with… May I speak with…
Let’s take lunch Let’s eat lunch
Tuck out Untuck
Hand carry Carry-on luggage
Senatoriable Senatorial candidate
Under Mr. Lim Part of Mr. Lim’s class
Go already! Go!
REDUNDANCY IS ALSO CHARACTERISTIC OF
PHILIPPINE ENGLISH.
1. Repeat it again.
2. Color yellow.
3. Month of January.
4. Reason why is because…
5. Free gift
6. Moral lesson
7. If, in case…
8. Not unless
HOW MANY OF THESE TERMS CAN YOU DEFINE OR
DESCRIBE?
Instructions: Can you identify which speech communities use these English terms?
Indicate whether the word is American English (AE), British English (BE), or Philippine
English (PE)
1. Ice lolly
2. Balikbayan
3. Trainers
4. Nappy
5. Petrol
6. Drapes
7. Vacation
HOW MANY OF THESE TERMS CAN YOU DEFINE OR
DESCRIBE?
8. Sidewalk 21. high blood
9. Scotch tape 22. cinema
10. Zipper 23. hydro
11. Barangay 24. sunnies
12. Barkada 25. sari-sari store
13. eh? 26. be apples
14. Carnap 27. g’day
15. Despedida 28. KKB
16. howzat?
17. Gimmick
18. Tattie
19. Presidentiable
20. Loonie
