Module 4-6 | NTC1 Purposeive Communication

Varieties of English

Is also widely known as World Englishes (WE) which is the localized varieties of English as they are used or spoken in certain areas.

Braj Kachru

Who introduced Varieties of English or World Englishes (WE)

Braj Kachru

He presented the “Three Concentric Circles”. These circles show the variety of English a country speaks according to how they are grouped.

Three Concentric Circles

• EFL

• ESL

• ENL

The Inner Circle

Uses English as Native Language (ENL) members are USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

The Outer Circle

Uses English as Second Language (ESL) some members are Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and India.

The Expanding Circle

Uses English as a Foreign Language (EFL) known members are China, Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan.

Bautista and Gonzales (2006)

The structural characteristics of these new varieties differ. This is brought about by the mother tongue or home languages of those who learn or acquire English.

Acrolect

Tends to command respect because its grammatical structures do not deviate significantly from those of the standard variety of the language.

Mesolect

or the middle variety, midway between acrolect and basilect.

Basilect

Digresses thoroughly from the acrolect version and comes closest to the pidgin.

Edulects

As coined by Bautista and Gonzales, these are the varieties resulting from certain types of education ascertained by social class especially for those coming from higher-income families and/or better educated classes.

Syllable-timed versus stress-timed rhythm

Outer and expanding circle varieties observe this. Nigerians say suc’cess for ‘success and Indians say recog’nize for ‘recognize. Inner circle whereas, observe stress-timed rhythm.

Distinction between nouns and verbs in pairs

Inner circle pronounces ‘import as noun and im’port as verb. Outer and expanding circle do not have a distinction for these.

Initial aspiration of voiceless plosives

Outer and expanding circles do not observe aspiration of voiceless plosives such as p, t, k which are often perceived by inner circle as b, d, g. some speakers of expanding circles, as in the case of Japanese speakers, do not properly distinguish between r and l.

Question-answering Systems

Inner circles observe the positive-negative system where the answer follows the polarity of the question. Outer-expanding circles observes the agreement-disagreement system which poses difficulty to inner circle speakers.

David Crystal (2008)

Defines register as “a variety of language defined according to its use in social situations e.g. a register of scientific, religious, formal English.

Lee (2001)

Register is associated more with the organization of culture and situation.

Register

Is understood as the context-specific variety of language to which the field-tenor-mode framework is important.

Field

The social setting and the communicative purpose in which the text is produced.

Tenor

The role/s required of the writers and readers including the cultural values shared by both.

Mode

The knowledge of other texts required of speakers/listeners and writers/readers as regards the genre including the formal text features.

Formal Register

• Used in formal speaking and writing situations;

• It is more impersonal, objective, and factual.

Formal Register

Example: in a state of the nation address, the speech is usually delivered using a highly-polished language, read from a manuscript. This is allowed since the president occupying the highest position in the country could not afford to make mistakes.

Formal Register

Example: is also used in professional writing like project proposals, position papers, and business letters.

Informal Register

More casual in tone; appropriate for people with whom you have established a more personal relationship such as friends and relatives; it is emotional, personal, and subjective.

Legalese Register

Highly characterized by archaic expressions, technical jargon intrinsic only to the community of legal professionals, embedded structures, nominalizations, passive voice, as well as long, kilometric sentences.

Pro bono publico

In Latin, this translates to “for the public good”.

Actus reus

In Latin, this translates to “guilty act”

Habeas corpus

In Latin, this translates to “you shall have the body”

Affidavit

Written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, made before someone who is officially authorized to administer oaths

Textise Register

Or language of texts

Textise Register

• Conversely the feature of SMS language;
• Use of abbreviations (unli for unlimited, promo for promotion) acronyms (IKR, TBH, JGH), slang words (lodi, mamshie, cyst, havey and waley, keri) and expressions (sana all, ha-hotdog, power, forda person)

Globalization

• Process by which people and goods move easily across borders • Integration of markets, trade and investments between nations

Silk Road

Trade spread rapidly between China and Europe via an overland route

Silk Road

• Merchants carried goods for trade back and forth, trading silk as well as gems and spices and, of course, coffee. • In fact, the habit of drinking coffee in a social setting originates from a Turkish custom, an example of how globalization can spread culture across borders.

Technology

Globalization has speeded up enormously over the last half-century, thanks to great leaps in technology.

Internet

Revolutionized connectivity and communication, and helped people share their ideas much more widely, just as the invention of the printing press did in the 15th century.

Transportation

Enormous container ships helped too. In fact, improvements in transport generally — faster ships, trains and airplanes — have allowed us to move around the globe much more easily.

Paris Agreement on Climate Change

195 countries all agreed to work towards reducing their carbon emissions for the greater global good.

Cyber Criminals

Every step forward in technology brings with it new dangers. Computers have vastly improved our lives, but they steal millions of pounds a year. Global wealth has skyrocketed, but so has global warming.

Intercultural Communication

Each person is genetically unique. This uniqueness becomes even more heightened because of individual experiences. Humans are formed by forces other than genetics.

Carol Kinsey Goman (2011)

Intercultural Communication

High Context

Leave much of the message unspecified (context, NV cues, read-between-the-lines)

Low Context

Expect messages to be explicit and specific.

High Context

Interpersonal, relational, subjective, informal.

Low Context

Impersonal, rule-oriented, task-centered, objective, formal.

High Context

Mediterranean, Slav, Central European, Latin America, African, Arab, Asian, American-Indian.

Low Context

Germanic, English-speaking countries.

Sequential Culture

• Views time as a linear commodity to "spend," "save," or "waste."

• businesspeople give full attention to one agenda item after another

• “time is money” mentality

• Fixation on timelines

Sequential Culture

North American, English, German, Swedish, Dutch

Synchronic Culture

• Views time as a constant flow to be experienced in the moment, and as a force that cannot be contained or controlled • A friend from Venezuela was invited to a party in the States. The hours on the invitation were stated as 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. • "How can anyone know when the party will be over?”

Synchronic Culture

South America, Southern Europe, Asia

Neutral

❑ do not telegraph their feelings, but keep them carefully controlled and subdued ❑ more careful to monitor the amount of emotion they display ❑ If our approach is highly neutral, we want an indirect response: "I agree with your thoughts on this."

Neutral

❑ Japan, Indonesia, UK, Norway, Netherlands

Affective

❑ people show their feelings plainly by laughing, smiling, grimacing, scowling, and sometimes crying, shouting, or walking out of the room ❑ If our approach is highly emotional, we are seeking a direct emotional response: "I feel the same way."

Culture

Is, basically, a set of values shared by a group of people. These values affect how you think and act and, more importantly, the kind of criteria by which you judge others.