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International English/archive -
- This is an older edit of International English.
International English (also known as "global English" or "world English") is a term used differently by a number of groups. It is sometimes used by teachers of "English as a Foreign Language" (TEFL) and "English as a Second Language" (TESL) to refer to words, phrases, spelling and punctuation generally used and understood throughout the English-speaking world, as opposed to localized usage like American English, Australian English, and so on. The term "global English" is used by some academics to refer to a theoretical, international English. Rather than consisting of distinct or quantifiable differences from United States or British English, it is more a philosophical view of English as a functional lingua franca, one that belies earlier aspects of the English language as a tool, artifact or product of Western influence or imperialism. International English (IE) thus refers to English as it is being used and developed in the world; as a language owned not just by native speakers, but by all those who come to use it. While British colonialism laid the foundation for English over much of the world, International English is a product of an emerging world culture, perhaps attributable to the influence of the United States, but conceptually based on a far greater degree of cross-talk and linguistic transculturation, such that any trace of U.S. influence is mitigated. The development of IE often centers around academic and scientific communities, where formal English usage is prevalent. Often the formal use of English in the international context allows entry into certain nuance of Western culture, fostering a development and interest of both continued English learning and learning of Western cultural values. This trend is seen in some cultures as a kind of slow cultural imperialism. The definition of any truly "international" form of English thus means to reduce the use of English as a tool of imperialism, and raise the facility for the English used in those contexts to integrate terms from other cultures. Tom McArthur of the University of Exeter notes that English is now spoken in every continent by over a billion people, either as a first or second language, and is regarded as an official or semi-official language in over 70 countries. "In the closing years of the twentieth century," he writes, "the English language has become a global resource. As such, it does not owe its existence or the protection of its essence to any nation or group," (McArthur, 1992). Pam Peters of Macquarie University has argued that a global English, if developed, would exclude localized political and cultural references. "What could be better than a type of English that saves you from having to re-edit publications for individual regional markets!" she writes. "Teachers and learners of English as a second language also find it an attractive idea – both often concerned that their English should be neutral, without British or American or Canadian or Australian coloring. Any regional variety of English has a set of political, social and cultural connotations attached to it, even the so-called 'standard' forms," (Peters, 2004) A global or international English might one day reduce American, Australian, English, South African and Scottish versions to local dialects. "We may, in due course, all need to be in control of two standard Englishes—the one which gives us our national and local identity, and the other which puts us in touch with the rest of the human race," writes linguist David Crystal." In effect, we may all need to become bilingual in our own language," (Crystal, 1988). This is the situation already faced by users of English who speak a "non-standard" dialect of English as their birth tongue, but who have also learned to write and speak a more standard dialect. References - Crystal, D. (London, 1988) The English Language, Penguin, ISBN 0140135324
- McArthur, T. (Oxford, 1992) "The Oxford Companion to the English Language," Oxford University Press, ISBN 019214183X
- McArthur, T. (Oxford, 2002) ''Oxford Guide to World English," Oxford University Press, ISBN 0198662483 hardback, ISBN 0198607717 paperback
- Peters, P. (Cambridge, 2004) ''The Cambridge Guide to English Usage," Cambridge University Press, ISBN 052162181X
Further reading and external links - The Future of English, The English Company UK Ltd.
- Arsoba, Leszek. "Varieties of English: English Around the World"
- Biber, D. Johansson, Stig; Leech, Geoffrey; Conrad, Susan; Finnegan, Edward (1999). Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education. ISBN 0582237254.
- ————— (1997). English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 052159247X.
- Erling, Elizabeth J. (2000). "International/Global/World English: Is a Consensus Possible?", Postgraduate Conference Proceedings, The University of Edinburgh, Department of Applied Linguistics. (Postscript.)
- Garca Landa, Jos ngel (2004). "World English" Bibliography. From A Bibliography of Literary Theory, Criticism and Philology (10th ed.) University of Zaragoza (Spain).
- Jenkins, Jennifer. "Global English and the teaching of pronunciation". (A discussion of the relative importance of different pronunciation feature for international comprehension of spoken English.)
- Johnson, Christine and Bartlett, Cath (1999). "International Business English - What should we be teaching?" BESIG Business Issues 3.
- IELTS—International English Language Testing System.
- Johnson, Angel M. "Southerners, Rednecks, Hicks, and Bumpkins: Sustainers of the Forgotten United States Dialects".
- Kachru, B. (1986). The Alchemy of English: The Spread, Functions, and Models of Non-native Englishes. Chicago: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252061721.
- McArthur, T. (2001). "World English and World Englishes: Trends, tensions, varities, and standards", Language Teaching Vol. 34, issue 1. Available in PDF format at Cambridge: Language Teaching: Sample article and Learning and Teacher Support Centre: McArthur.
- Phillipson, R. (1992). Linguistic Imperialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0194371468.
- Tarnopolsky, O. "What Variety of English to Teach in the Ukraine?"
- [http://www.geocities.com/dspichtinger/Uni/sp-dipl3.pdf Spichtinger, David (2000). "The Spread of English and its Appropriation." Diplomarbeit zur Erlangung des Magistergrades der Philosophie eingereicht an der Geisteswissenschaftlichen Fakultt der Universitt Wien. (PDF.)
- ***TESL-EJ Forum***: Varieties of English: Definition and Instruction
- Bible Society: Machine Assisted Translations: Anglicisations
- Carson, George S., Puk, Richard F., Carey, Rikk (1998). "Development of the VRML 97 International Standard"
- Goult, Roderick S. W. (2004). Introduction to ISO 9000:2000 Handbook. Edition of August, 2004. Methuen, MA: The Victoria Group.
* Xerox: Phaser 740/740L: Product Brochures
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