World Englishes and Applied Linguistics

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of the relationship between world Englishes (WE) and applied linguistics. The diffusion of English is seen in terms of three concentric circles: the Inner Circle (L1 varieties, e.g. the USA and the UK), the Outer Circle (ESL varieties), and the Expanding Circle (EFL varieties). The discussion is essentially restricted to the Outer Circle in which the institutionalized non-native varieties of English are used in multilingual and multicultural contexts. The discussion is about four major issues: theoretical, applied, societal and ideological, and focuses specifically on: (a) attitudes concerning the ontological status of the varieties of English, (b) generalizations about the creative strategies used for learning English in multilingual/multicultural contexts, (c) descriptions of the pragmatic and interactional contexts of WEs and their implications, (d) assumptions concerning multicultural identities of WEs, (e) assumptions about the role of English in initiating ideological and social change, and (f) assumptions about communicative competence in English. This paper is divided into the following sections: ontological issues, conflict between idealization and reality, acquisition and creativity, the 'leaking paradigms', cultural content of English, ideological change, where applied linguistics fails the Outer Circle of English, and types of fallacies about WEs. This study does not view applied linguistics as divorced from social concerns: the concerns of relevance to the society in which we live. This view, then, entails social responsibility and accountability for research in applied linguistics.

Native-speakerism and English without Borders Program: investigating language ideologies through a language policy

“…The relational processes again define the variety and accent present in the test according to their nationality (American), which indicates that for the coordinator the native speaker model is emphasised through the test. The recurrence of relational processes defining English language regarding its origin associated to inner circle countries addresses what Kachru (1989) defined in the Three Concentric Circles of English as nations where English is considered to be the native language 8 . Such bindings reflect specific social values attached to them (FAIRCLOUGH, 2003).…”

Do Native English Speaking Tesol Teachers Need To Relearn English?

“…Starting with the British colonial empire in the 19 th century through the post-World War II American global dominance English became a dominant language in both political and economic international interactions (Graddol, 2006). Kachru (1990) named the phenomena 'World Englishes' and described it as expanding circles of language. Figure 1 presents the circles of English (Circles of English (Crystal 1995, p. 107).…”

Two Proposed Perspectives on Mother Tongue-Based Education in the Philippines

“…Being part of what Kachru calls Outer Circle of speakers of English (Kachru, 1985(Kachru, , 1990Kachru, Kachru, & Nelson, 2009), the Philippines has been using English as a medium of instruction for a long period of time. English is part of the Philippine identity, even if it is a European language.…”

“…In fact, it is possible that this is why English is the lingua franca of the country. To keep all languages equal, Kachru explains that former colonies adopt the colonizer's language (Kachru, 1990;Kachru et al, 2009), especially in the case of the Outer Circle.…”