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Description

This book looks at native speaker varieties of English, considering how and why they differ in terms of their pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and spelling. It shows how the major national varieties of English have developed, why similar causes have given rise to different effects in different parts of the world, and how the same problems of description arise in relation to all 'colonial' Englishes. It covers varieties of English spoken in Britain, the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Falkland Islands. * Introductory text, presupposes a minimum of previous knowledge * Focuses on common traits rather than on individual varieties * Informed by latest research on dialect mixing * Exercises included with each chapter * References for further reading in each chapter

Reviews

This new textbook is a welcome addition to the literature on international varieties of English and can definitely be recommended as an introductory guide for students who wish to study this varied and fascinating field. -- Heinrich Ramisch This new textbook is a welcome addition to the literature on international varieties of English and can definitely be recommended as an introductory guide for students who wish to study this varied and fascinating field.

Contents

Preface; 1 BACKGROUND NOTIONS; 1.1 Accent, dialect, language and variety; 1.2 Home and colony; 1.3 Colonial lag; 1.4 Dialect mixing; 2 ENGLISH BECOMES A WORLD LANGUAGE; 2.1 The spread of English; 2.2 Models of English; 2.3 English in Scotland and Ireland; 3 VOCABULARY; 3.1 Borrowing; 3.2 Coining; 3.3 The results; 4 GRAMMAR; 4.1 Morphology; 4.2 Syntax; 5 SPELLING; 5.2 Lexical distributional differences; 5.2 Variation in the system; 6 PRONUNCIATION; 6.1 Describing varieties of English; 6.2 Input varieties; 6.3 Influences from contact languages; 6.4 Influences from other colonies; 6.5 Influences from later immigrants; 6.6 Influences from world English; 6.7 Differences between varieties; 7 THE REVENGE OF THE COLONISED; 7.1 Vocabulary; 7.2 Grammar; 7.3 Pronunciation; 8 BECOMING INDEPENDENT; 8.1 British Englishes; 8.2 North American Englishes; 8.3 Southern hemisphere Englishes; 8.4 Discussion; 8.5 The break-up of English?; 9 STANDARDS IN THE COLONIES; 9.1 Moving away from the standard in vocabulary; 9.2 Moving away from the standard in grammar; 9.3 Moving away from the standard in pronunciation; Discussion of the exercises; References; Index.

Additional Information

• Illustrations: Ill.d.