David Crystal - World Englishes
Summary
TLDRThe talk 'The Future of Englishes' explores the evolution of English as a global language, adapting to local cultures and contexts. It emphasizes the rapid development of new English varieties, such as American English, which emerged within weeks of settlers' arrival in the 1600s. The speaker illustrates this with examples like 'robot' in South African English, which actually means 'traffic light.' The discussion highlights the importance of understanding local expressions and vocabulary, which can differ significantly from traditional English, even for native speakers.
Takeaways
- đ The term 'Englishes' acknowledges the plural nature of the English language as it adapts to different regions and cultures around the world.
- đ± When English is adopted by a new region, it quickly evolves to reflect local interests, history, and circumstances, showcasing the dynamic nature of language.
- đ The adaptation of English is not a new phenomenon; it has been happening since the language's early spread, such as in the case of American English developing after the settlers' arrival in the 1600s.
- đ The development of a new variety of English can occur rapidly, sometimes within weeks, as seen with the early settlers in America who quickly incorporated new terms into their correspondence.
- đż Vocabulary is a primary area where the influence of local culture is seen in the English language, with examples like 'moccasin' and 'Wigwam' entering American English.
- đ There are specialized dictionaries for regional Englishes, such as the Dictionary of South African English, which includes 10,000 words unique to South Africa.
- đ€ The script illustrates the concept of a 'robot' in South African English, which is a traffic light, highlighting how local terminology can confuse even native English speakers.
- đ The global spread of English leads to the incorporation of loan words from other languages, making the English of a region distinct and sometimes difficult for outsiders to understand.
- đïž Cultural references in English, such as 'Clapham Junction' in British English, can be confusing without knowledge of the local context, emphasizing the importance of cultural literacy.
- đ·đž The concept of 'Serbian English' is introduced, suggesting that it would contain culturally specific terms and expressions that are unique to Serbia and its people.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the talk?
-The main topic of the talk is the future of 'Englishes' and the development of different varieties of English as it becomes a global language.
Why do new varieties of English emerge when it is adopted by different countries?
-New varieties of English emerge because each country adapts the language to suit its local circumstances, reflecting local interests, history, and culture.
How quickly did American English begin to develop after the first settlers arrived in America?
-American English began to develop within weeks of the first settlers' arrival, as they started to describe new experiences and objects using new words.
What is an example of a word that came into American English due to the settlers' encounters with new experiences?
-Words like 'moccasin', 'wigwam', 'squall', and 'skunk' came into American English as the settlers encountered new animals, plants, and cultures.
How does the adaptation of English by different countries primarily manifest?
-The adaptation primarily manifests in the vocabulary, with countries incorporating local words and expressions that may not be understood by speakers of other varieties of English.
What is an example of a culturally specific term from South African English?
-A culturally specific term from South African English is 'robot', which refers to a traffic light, a meaning that is not shared with other varieties of English.
Why might a native English speaker from one country not understand English spoken in another country?
-A native English speaker might not understand English spoken in another country due to the use of culturally specific vocabulary, idioms, and expressions that are unique to that country's variety of English.
What is an example of a culturally specific British English idiom mentioned in the script?
-An example of a culturally specific British English idiom is 'it was like Clapham Junction in there', which means it was very chaotic and busy.
What does the term 'Clapham Junction' refer to in the context of the British idiom?
-In the context of the British idiom, 'Clapham Junction' refers to a railway station in London known for its complexity and the chaos that can ensue for travelers trying to navigate it.
How does the speaker suggest that English will continue to evolve globally?
-The speaker suggests that English will continue to evolve globally as it is influenced by the cultures of the countries that adopt it, creating new varieties that reflect local customs, politics, and experiences.
What is the implication of the speaker's statement about 'Serbian English'?
-The implication of the statement about 'Serbian English' is that just as English has developed unique characteristics in other countries, it will also develop a Serbian flavor that reflects Serbia's culture and experiences.
Outlines
đ The Evolution and Localization of English
The speaker discusses the concept of 'Englishes', emphasizing that English does have a plural form, which reflects the language's evolution into various forms as it becomes global. English adapts to local contexts, allowing people to discuss local interests and history. The speaker illustrates this with the example of American English, which began developing shortly after settlers arrived in America, incorporating new words to describe the new environment. The process of adaptation is rapid, and different countries that adopt English start to shape it to fit their own cultural and linguistic needs, leading to the creation of unique vocabularies and expressions.
đ The Influence of Culture on English Vocabulary
This paragraph delves into how English vocabulary is enriched by loanwords from other languages as it spreads to new regions. The speaker uses the example of South African English, which includes 10,000 words unique to the region, borrowed from local languages and reflecting the area's culture. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about the word 'robot' in South African English, which actually means a traffic light, highlighting the cultural specificity of vocabulary. The speaker also discusses how English speakers from different regions use culturally specific expressions that may be confusing to outsiders, and how this phenomenon is not limited to non-native speakers but applies to native speakers encountering regional Englishes as well.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄEnglishes
đĄGlobal Language
đĄAdaptation
đĄCultural Influence
đĄLoan Words
đĄAmerican English
đĄVocabulary
đĄCultural Specificity
đĄIdiom
đĄSerbian English
Highlights
The talk discusses the future of Englishes, emphasizing the plural form's legitimacy due to the language's global evolution.
English adapts to local circumstances as it becomes a global language, reflecting local interests and history.
Language exists to facilitate discussions on topics of local relevance, such as in Serbia or other countries.
Countries that adopt English start shaping it to suit their unique cultural and historical contexts.
The development of American English began with the settlers' need to describe new experiences and items, like 'moccasin' and 'Wigwam'.
New varieties of English can develop rapidly, within weeks, as seen with the early settlers in America.
Modern English is developing globally, with each country adapting the language to fit their cultural context.
Adaptation of English is primarily seen in vocabulary, with some countries having thousands of unique words.
The Dictionary of South African English contains 10,000 words unique to South Africa, demonstrating local adaptation.
Cultural misunderstandings can occur when unfamiliar terms, like 'robot' for traffic light in South African English, are used.
English speakers globally encounter new varieties that can be difficult to understand due to cultural-specific vocabulary.
The concept of 'Serbian English' is introduced, suggesting a unique adaptation of English influenced by Serbian culture.
Cultural expressions from British English, like 'Clapham Junction', may not be understood outside the UK.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding local cultural references in English to avoid misunderstandings.
The talk highlights the rapid and continuous evolution of English varieties around the world, influenced by local culture.
The speaker shares personal experiences of encountering culturally specific English expressions during global travels.
The talk concludes by emphasizing the diversity and richness of English as it adapts to different cultural landscapes.
Transcripts
[Music]
well the talk was called as you probably
heard the future of
englishes and the important thing is
that es ending at the end there you know
don't fall into a trap of thinking as
some people do around the world there is
no such word you know English does not
have a plural oh yes it does English is
is very definitely around and that word
came into being about 10 or 15 years ago
really um to reflect the reality of what
happens when English becomes a global
language because what does happen you
know as a country takes up the English
language and adopts it it immediately
adapts it to suit its circumstances
because what is language for language
exists in order for us to talk about
what we want to talk about so what do
you want to talk about well anything I
suppose the whole world but you
especially want to talk about what's
happening in Serbia or whoever's
watching this your country and therefore
you want to have an English that
actually reflects your local interests
your history the things that happen
around you all the things that you would
naturally do in your own language if
you're learning another language as an
international language then you want to
be able to talk in that language as well
and so what is happening in English as
it goes around the world becomes Global
is that the different countries that
have adopted it immediately start to
make it their own they start to shape it
and push it in a direction it never was
in before now this has happened ever
since English began so take 400 years
ago or so when the first people arrived
in America and you know we're talking
16006 that's the sort of period and they
settle on the Eastern seab Board of
America you get the beginnings of
Virginia and the result is American
English eventually but how long do you
think it takes for an American English
to develop are you thinking decades or
hundreds of years it only takes weeks
for a new variety of English to start to
grow because as soon as you arrive you
want to talk about what you see and what
did the Mariners see and the settlers
see when they arrived in America they
saw new plants new animals they saw uh
Indians with behavior that they'd never
seen before with new clothes uh new
costumes new new shoes and so words
started to come in like
moccasin and
Wigwam and
Squall and
skunk and they would write these words
in their letters back home so suddenly
in British English these letters were
coming through with American English in
just a few days after these guys had
arrived in America so that's how long it
takes for a new variety of English to
grow and as you look around the Modern
English world and you see English
developing in places like well you know
everywhere Now everywhere all countries
in the world have English either as a
first language or a second language or a
privileged foreign language and it
doesn't take long for these countries to
take the English that wherever it's come
from Britain perhaps or from America or
from Australia and then start to adapt
it to make it their own and how do you
see this adaptation taking place chiefly
in the vocabulary so it doesn't take
long if you take a dictionary like the
dictionary of South African English for
instance there are 10,000 words in that
dictionary that are only used in South
Africa you see or perhaps just around
South Africa afca like Zimbabwe and so
on so if you read South African English
every now and then you come across a
word and you have no idea what it means
because you don't know the cultural
background I told a story in the lecture
of my first visit to South Africa
driving along the road British Council
driver there and I see a sign ahead and
it says robot
ahead and I go what and I turn to the
driver I say robot ahead and he turns to
me and says in a lovely South African
accent of course it's a robot and I say
what's a robot he says you don't know
what a robot is I say no I don't know
what a robot is have they landed or
something uh no no no a robot is anybody
know a robot is a traffic
light in South African English that's
all and so when you're in South Africa
you will hear people saying sentences is
like turn left at the robot or the robot
is broken or you'll find the shop three
robots
ahead and now you know you can interpret
it but the first time you hear it you go
what like that now think 10,000 words
like that in South African English not
all from British English of course robot
comes from British English well check
originally of course but there are words
from Africans and words from Zulu words
from Co and all the other languages of
South Africa so what happens when
English goes to a new part of the world
is income the the loan words The
Borrowed words from the other languages
around that make that English difficult
for a foreigner to understand now I am
the Foreigner here not just you you see
there's no difference between me and you
in this respect if you go to South
Africa you don't understand some of the
language you think oh I'm a foreigner
I'm not a native speaker of English
don't think like like that I go to South
Africa I don't understand the language
and I'm a native speaker of English you
see there's no difference between me and
you when it comes to going to different
parts of the world and encountering
these new varieties of English and
everywhere this is the point you have to
pick up on everywhere in every country
in the world there is a new variety of
English gr growing which is
culturally
influenced and it's happening here in
Serbia you see you think Serbian English
what could that be well what's I'll tell
you what Serbian English is it's the
English you use when you talk to me
about Serbia and I don't understand what
you're talking about because I don't
understand what is happening in Serbia
let me give some examples the other way
around let me give you some examples of
how I will use culturally specific
British English and you may or may not
understand it so if I come out of the
room now over there and say oh terrible
it was like Clapham Junction in there
what on Earth do I mean it was like
Clapham Junction in there very common
expression but unless you know what
Clapham Junction is you've no idea you
understand my grammar you understand the
vocabulary pretty well except the name
you understand the pronunciation but if
you don't know what Clapham Junction is
you can't understand the sentence and I
tell you Clapham Junction is the name of
a railway station in the south of London
it's the most chaotic railway station in
Britain because it has more Railway
platforms than anywhere else and the
railway lines come all over the place
and if you ever go to Clapham Junction
you will get lost you will miss your
train probably because you won't find
the right platform so it has become an
idiom meaning it was chaos in there it
was terribly busy so you come out of a
room and you say it was like Clapham
Junction in there all right that's
British England English what is how
would you translate that into Serbian
you see what is the
equivalent it was chaos is there such an
expression maybe you are never chaotic
in Serbia you don't have this sort of
problem I don't know but the thing is as
I go around the world I increasingly
find people talking to me in English and
using Expressions which I have to I say
sorry I don't understand what you mean
because they just slip into talking
about oh the political parties
Serbia just like I might say you know
the the
Tories the labor party The Independents
and so on and I know what I mean but you
only know what I mean if you know the
British political system now if you
start talking politics here I'm going to
get lost very very quickly you will have
nicknames for your prime minister I have
no doubt and rude ones too I expect um I
won't know what they are if you drop
these into the conversation there will
be parts of the city where you say you
shouldn't go there because it's
dangerous may be the parts of a city
where something special happens if
somebody says to you in London I'm going
down to
Soho what is he saying what's what is it
about Soho well you have to know that
Soho is the traditional sex shop area in
London and that's why he said
Soho rather than Soho see if you're just
going to Soho you're just going there if
you're going to
Soho you're going for a different reason
you
now what is your
Soho maybe you haven't got one I see
there are some nods around the room so
perhaps you have you see what I mean
every aspect of your culture myths and
legends FAA and Flora the food you eat
the folklore you have the songs the
dances the politics the
institutions talk about them in English
and there will be a Serbian flavor to it
which I might or might not understand
[Music]
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