English in the World

Author: Philip Seargeant
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136445676
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 419

Book Description
English in the World: History, Diversity, Change examines the English language as it has developed through history and is used across the globe today. The first half of the book outlines the history of the language from its fifth-century roots through its development as a national, a colonial, and now a global language. In the second half, the focus shifts to the diversity of the language today. The book explores varieties of English across the English-speaking world, as well as English-related varieties such as pidgins and creoles. It also examines complex processes of variation, hybridity and change in English, and in the shifting styles of individual speakers. Throughout, the focus is on the international nature of English and its use alongside other languages in a diverse range of communities. Drawing on the latest research and The Open University’s wide experience of writing accessible and innovative texts, this book: explains basic concepts and assumes no previous study of English or linguistics contains a range of source material and commissioned readings to supplement chapters includes contributions from leading experts in their fields including Joan Beal, Suresh Canagarajah, David Crystal, Jonathan Hope, Kay McCormick, Miriam Meyerhoff, Rajend Mesthrie, Robert Podesva and Jennifer Smith has a truly international scope, encompassing examples and case studies from the UK and North America, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, Asia, and Africa is illustrated in full colour to bring the fascinating study of the English language alive includes a comprehensive index as well as useful appendices showing the historical timeline of English and a brief introduction to the description of linguistic features English in the World: History, Diversity, Change is essential reading for all students of English language studies.

The Rise of English

Author: Rosemary C. Salomone
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190625619
Category : English language
Languages : en
Pages : 489

Book Description
A sweeping account of the global rise of English and the high-stakes politics of languageSpoken by a quarter of the world's population, English is today's lingua franca- - its common tongue. The language of business, popular media, and international politics, English has become commodified for its economic value and increasingly detached from any particular nation. This meteoric "riseof English" has many obvious benefits to communication. Tourists can travel abroad with greater ease. Political leaders can directly engage their counterparts. Researchers can collaborate with foreign colleagues. Business interests can flourish in the global economy.But the rise of English has very real downsides as well. In Europe, imperatives of political integration and job mobility compete with pride in national language and heritage. In the United States and England, English isolates us from the cultural and economic benefits of speaking other languages.And in countries like India, South Africa, Morocco, and Rwanda, it has stratified society along lines of English proficiency.In The Rise of English, Rosemary Salomone offers a commanding view of the unprecedented spread of English and the far-reaching effects it has on global and local politics, economics, media, education, and business. From the inner workings of the European Union to linguistic battles over influence inAfrica, Salomone draws on a wealth of research to tell the complex story of English - and, ultimately, to argue for English not as a force for domination but as a core component of multilingualism and the transcendence of linguistic and cultural borders.

English Around the World

Author: Edgar W. Schneider
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521888468
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 279

Book Description
A lively and accessible introduction to world Englishes, setting a range of global varieties in their historical and social contexts.

The Story of English

Author: Philip Gooden
Publisher: Quercus
ISBN: 1623653045
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 305

Book Description
Born as a Germanic tongue with the arrival in Britain of the Anglo-Saxons in the early medieval period, heavily influenced by Norman French from the 11th century, and finally emerging as modern English from the late Middle Ages, the English language has grown to become the linguistic equivalent of a superpower, and is now sometimes described as the world's lingua franca. Worldwide, some 380 million people speak English as a first language and some 600 million as a second language. A staggering one billion people are believed to be learning it. English is the premier international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, and diplomacy and also on the Internet. It has been one of the official languages of the United Nations since its founding in 1945. It is considered by many good judges to be well on the way to becoming the world's first universal language Author Philip Gooden tells the story of the English language in all its richness and variety. From the intriguing origins and changing definitions of common words such as OK, berserk, curfew, cabal, and pow-wow, to the massive transformations wrought in the vocabulary and structure of the language by Anglo-Saxon and Norman conquest, through to the literary triumphs of Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales and the works of Shakespeare. The Story of English is a fascinating tale of linguistic, social and cultural transformation, and one that is accessibly and authoritatively told by an author in perfect command of his material.

English in the German-speaking World

Author: Raymond Hickey
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108488099
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 437

Book Description
A collection of studies on the role of English in German-speaking countries, covering a broad range of topics.

World Englishes

Author: Jennifer Jenkins
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 9780415258050
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 276

Book Description
Assuming no prior knowledge, this book offers an accessible overview of English dialects, with activities, study questions, sample analyses, commentaries & key readings. It is structured around four sections: introduction, development, exploration & extension.

English as a Global Language

Author: David Crystal
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107611806
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 227

Book Description
Written in a detailed and fascinating manner, this book is ideal for general readers interested in the English language.

The Story of English

Author: Joseph Piercy
Publisher: Michael O'Mara Books
ISBN: 1843179237
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 161

Book Description
Discover how the relatively obscure dialects spoken by tribes from what are now Denmark, the Low Countries and northern Germany, became the most widely spoken language in the world.

English in the World

Author: Randolph Quirk
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521315227
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 288

Book Description

Teaching English to the World

Author: George Braine
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135603480
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 241

Book Description
Teaching English to the World: History, Curriculum, and Practice is a unique collection of English language teaching (ELT) histories, curricula, and personal narratives from non-native speaker (NNS) English teachers around the world. No other book brings such a range of international ELT professionals together to describe and narrate what they know best. The book includes chapters from Brazil, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Turkey. All chapters follow a consistent pattern, describing first the history of English language teaching in a particular country, then the current ELT curriculum, followed by the biography or the autobiography of an English teacher of that country. This consistency in the structuring of chapters will enable readers to assimilate the information easily while also comparing and contrasting the context of ELT in each country. The chapter authors--all born in or residents of the countries they represent and speakers of the local language or languages as well as English--provide insider perspectives on the challenges faced by local English language teachers. There is clear evidence that the majority of English teachers worldwide are nonnative speakers (NNS), and there is no doubt that many among them have been taught by indigenous teachers who themselves are nonnative speakers. This book brings the professional knowledge and experience of these teachers and the countries they represent to a mainstream Western audience including faculty, professionals, and graduate students in the field of ESL; to the international TESOL community; and to ELT teachers around the world.