The first class will commence on 8th September, 2023 (Friday), 14:30 - 17:20 at CPD-LG.10. Students are encouraged to read all the materials on the course website on 1st September.
(For students admitted in 2021-22 or before, this course will be counted as Introductory course from List B after completion. Please refer to your syllabus at https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_Studies.)
This course introduces students to some of the fundamental issues and debates in the study of World Englishes, to which we take a strongly historical approach. We survey the development of the English language from its origins in the Anglo-Saxon period to its current status as the pre-eminent global language. Key issues will include the historical emergence of new varieties of English; their structural and sociolinguistic dimensions; and the models we use to classify these new varieties. Through the critical reading of introductory texts and research papers in the field, we examine the concepts of ‘linguistic imperalism’, ‘nativeness’ and ownership, issues of ideology, attitudes and identity, and challenges for pedagogy and planning. Students will be expected to reflect critically on the readings, debate relevant issues, and produce a written paper that engages with one of these issues in the field of World Englishes.
- The evolution of English from its origins to the present day
- The spread and classification of Englishes around the world
- The ecology and evolution of new Englishes
- English, culture and education
- English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)
- Familiarise students with varieties of English world-wide and their development and classification in both historical and contemporary eras;
- Lead students to identify and critically reflect on relevant and fundamental issues and debates in World Englishes, including concepts such as ‘linguistic imperialism’ , ‘nativeness’ and ownership, issues of ideology, attitudes and identity, pedagogy and planning; and in so doing:
- Nurture students capable of making informed, intelligent and significant contributions to the ongoing debate surrounding English in its international contexts.
Lectures; in-class debates, discussion and presentations.
100% coursework, comprising two or more of the following:
In-class tests, reflective practice, essays, project work and (group/individual) presentations.
Jenkins, Jennifer. 2009. World Englishes: A Resource Book for Students. 2nd ed. Routledge.
The course will draw on the following academic works (amongst others):
Baugh, A.C. & Cable, T. (2012) A History of the English language. London: Routledge.
Crystal, D. (2003) English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bailey, R. (2004). American English: its origins and history. In E. Finegan & J. R. Rickford (eds.), Language in the USA: Themes for the Twenty-First century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 3-17.
Blair, D., & Collins, P. (eds.) (2001). English in Australia. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing.
Bolton K. (2003) Chinese Englishes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bruthiaux, P. (2003). Squaring the circles: issues in modeling English worldwide. International Journal of Applied Linguistics 13(2). 159-78.
Chen, K (2015) Styling bilinguals: Analyzing structurally distinctive code-switching styles in Hong Kong. In G. Stell and K. Yakpo (eds.) Code-switching at the crossroads between structural and socio-linguistic perspectives. 163-183. Germany: Mouton de Gruyter.
Gupta, A. F. (2010) Standard Singapore English revisited. In L. Lim, A. Pakir & L. Wee (eds.) English in Singapore: Modernity and Management. (Asian Englishes Today.) Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. 57-89.
Jenkins, J. (2007) English as a Lingua Franca: Attitude and Identity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kachru, B. (1990) The Alchemy of English: The Spread, Functions, and Models of Non-native Englishes (English in the Global Context). Chicago: University of Illinois Press.
Kachru, B. (ed.) (1992) The Other Tongue: English Across Cultures. Chicago: University of Illinois Press.
Kortmann B. & Upton C. (eds.) (2008) Varieties of English: The British Isles. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
Lisa, L & Ansaldo, U. (2015) Languages in Contact: Key Topics in Sociolinguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Mauranen, A. (2012) Exploring ELF: Academic English shaped by Non-Native Speakers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Milroy J. & Milroy, L. (1999) Authority in Language: Investigating Standard English. London: Routledge.
Phillipson, R. (1992) Linguistic Imperialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Schneider, E (2007) Postcolonial English: Varieties around the World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Seidlhofer, B. (2011) Understanding English as a Lingua Franca. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Spolsky, B. (ed.) (2012) The Cambridge Handbook of Language Policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Weston, D. (2011) Gibraltar’s position in the Dynamic Model of Postcolonial English Development. English World-Wide 32(3). 338-367.
Weston, Daniel. (2016) “Bits”, “Chunks” and “Channel-switching”: perceptions of Cantonese-English code-switching. Journal of Chinese Linguistics 44(2). 384-414.