Lerninhalte |
The global spread of English has resulted in the emergence of a diverse range of varieties around the world, not only in what we know as English-speaking countries (e.g., USA, Canada, Australia), but also in societies where English has a status as the language of administration and education (e.g., India, Nigeria), or where pidgins and creoles have developed from English. Some of these varieties are continuations of the dialects originally spoken within the British Isles, others arose as contact varieties and function in various capacities in their speech communities. Moreover, English as a second language serves as a Lingua Franca for communication around the world.
In this seminar we will review some of the linguistic features of the varieties in question, explore the different sociohistorical settings in which various types of Englishes arose, and outline the stages and characteristics of the processes underlying the spread and diversification of English. |