Macro and micro perspectives on the distribution of English in Dutch: A quantitative usage-based analysis of job ads

Abstract

The world-wide spread of English is one of the most visible symptoms of globalization. In weak contact settings such as Western Europe, where contact with English is usually indirect, remote and asymmetrical, the English language started diffusing at a hitherto unknown rate in the second half of the twentieth century. Crucially, this diffusion happens at two different levels. First, on the macrolevel, English is more and more used as a language of (international) communication. Second, on the micro-level, English is intruding in local languages, most notably by means of lexical borrowing. So far, the macro-and micro-level of linguistic influence are hardly ever linked or simultaneously studied. Nevertheless, as will be shown in this paper, it is interesting to investigate whether a connection between both levels exists. Specifically, we present a quantitative multivariate comparison of the features underlying the choice for English at both levels of analyses, using a diachronic corpus of over 16 000 job ads published in two Dutch job ad magazines. On the macro-level, we verify what communicative and situational parameters (e.g., branch of industry of the recruiter) determine the choice for and distribution of ads written entirely in English. On the micro-level, we verify the impact of the same set of parameters on the choice for inserting English elements in ads where Dutch is the matrix language. Using two multiple logistic regression models, we can verify to which extent the mechanisms underlying language choice at both levels are different. Results show that a large difference exists in the basic proportion of English at both levels, but that quite some similarities in the distribution of English are found when zooming in on the specific parameters underlying language choice. As such, this paper advocates to perceive of the different manifestations of the spread of English as part of a continuum, rather than as isolated phenomena. Hence, we hope to provide a first step in bridging the theoretical and methodological gap between the ELF paradigm and anglicism research.

On a first-name basis: Englishization and naming in Flanders

“…Given the rather whimsical behavior of the data, it is not certain that expanding the diachronic reach of our database would reveal such curves either. Furthermore, our data provide no support for a growing popularity of English names in the past ten years, despite the strong position of English in Flanders (see Zenner et al 2013b for a diachronic analysis of English in Dutch job ad magazines). In conclusion, associating children with internationalism and modernity through the selection of English-origin names does not seem to present a notable trend in our Flemish database.…”

“…Despite the strong position of English in Flanders (see e.g. Zenner et al 2013b), no indications of ongoing Englishization were found. This might indicate that phonological associations do not play a strong role in naming patterns in Flanders.…”

“…The 17 English names together account for 76 out of 1500 ranked names (5%). (Zenner et al 2013b) is clearly absent. No significant effect for time was found (p for Chi-square > 0.1).…”

The Use of Loanwords in Emirati Arabic According to Speakers’ Gender, Educational Level, and Age

“…Speaking about modernity, it is important to note that English is attached to modernity and globalisation (Zenner, Speelman & Geeraerts, 2013), and is one of the most requisite and influential languages in the world (Vegt, 2014). This is exemplified by Alahmadi (2015), who found that younger speakers of UMH prefer to use English loanwords as English is considered prestigious and modern, while older speakers of UMH tend to use more of the Turkish or Persian loanwords.…”

La presencia del inglés en la red de Internet en lengua española: Las ofertas de empleo en www.monster.es

“…van Meurs, Nedertigt & Starren, 2007) ha sido, hasta cierto punto, cuantificada, demostrada de forma empírica y explicada tanto en los países de habla hispana como en otros ámbitos lingüísticos (Piller 2003;Zenner, Speelman & Geeraerts, 2013). No obstante, los estudios empíricos de enfoque cuantitativo que han tratado de determinar y explicar la presencia del inglés en la red de Internet en general y, en particular, las ofertas de empleo publicadas en dicha red son escasos, y en el ámbito hispano podemos afirmar que inexistentes.…”