The Variability of Current World Englishes

Topics in English Linguistics [TiEL] #87.1

by Eugène Green (Editor), Charles F. Meyer (Editor)

Faces of English explores the phenomenon of increasing dialects, varieties, and creoles, even as the spread of globalization supports an apparently growing uniformity among nations. The book's chapters supply descriptions of Jamaican English in Toronto, English as an L2 in a South African mining township, Chinese and English contact in Singapore, unexpected, emergent variants in Canadian English, and innovations in the English of West Virginia. Further, the book offers some perspective on internet English as well as on abiding uniformities in the lexicon and grammar of standard varieties. In the analyses of this heterogeneous growth such considerations as speakers' sociolinguistic profiles, phonological, morpho-syntactic, and lexical variables, frequencies, and typological patterns provide ample insight in the current status of English both in oral and electronic communities. The opening chapter presents a theoretical framework that argues for linguistic typology as conceptually resourceful in accommodating techniques of analysis and in distinguishing the wide arrays of English found throughout the globe. One clear function for Faces of English is that of a to spur studies of diversities in English (and in other languages), to suggest approaches to adapt, to invite counterargument and developments in analysis.

295 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2014

About the author

American-born, naturalized French (1976) filmmaker, and dramatist. He is notable as an educator, training a generation of young actors in the revival of French baroque theatre technique and declamation.

Influenced by Robert Bresson and Ozu, he directed some art-house films such as "Le pont des arts". In the year 2008 he also started writing novels. His first work as novelist was 'La Reconstruction'. In the following years, while keeping directing films, he continued his career as novelist.