English of Today

Aspects of Language and Linguistics

  1. What are the main aspects of language and linguistics in Modern English?
    Phonetic features, grammatical features, syntactic features, and onomastics of English.

  2. Why is English considered a world language?
    Due to its widespread use in global communication, media, politics, and technology.

Phonetic Features - Vowel and Consonant Inventories

  1. What types of vowels are in the Modern English vowel inventory?
    Monophthongs and diphthongs.

  2. What are examples of front-gliding diphthongs in English?
    [εi], [ai], [ɒi].

  3. What are examples of back-gliding diphthongs in English?
    [aʊ], [əʊ].

  4. What is an example of a centring diphthong in English?
    [iə], [εə], [ʊə].

  5. List two high vowels in Modern English.
    [i:], [u:].

  6. List two low vowels in Modern English.
    [æ], [ɑ:].

Consonant Inventory and Stress

  1. Name three types of stops in English and their places of articulation.
    Labial (p, b), alveolar (t, d), and velar (k, g).

  2. What are English semivowels?
    [w] and [j].

  3. How is stress marked in English pronunciation?
    By greater loudness, length, and sometimes pitch movement.

  4. What are examples of words with main and secondary stress?
    Left-handed (main and secondary stresses).

Grammatical Features

  1. How is the genitive case marked in English nouns?
    By adding 's.

  2. What cases are present in English pronouns?
    Nominative, objective, and genitive.

  3. Do English nouns have grammatical gender?
    No, but pronouns may have natural or semantic gender.

  4. How are tense and aspect marked in regular verbs?
    With -ed for past forms.

Syntactic Features

  1. What constitutes a noun phrase in English?
    A head noun or pronoun, determiners, and modifiers.

  2. What types of determiners can appear in a noun phrase?
    Articles, possessive pronouns, and quantifiers.

  3. What is a verbal group in English syntax?
    A sequence of finite or non-finite verbs indicating tense, aspect, mood, or voice.

  4. What are examples of clausal constituents in English?
    Subject, object, and various types of clauses (e.g., subordinate, adverbial).

Onomastics of English - Names

  1. What types of names are studied in English onomastics?
    Personal names, surnames, and place names.

  2. List three common sources of English surnames.
    By-names, locations, and family relationships.

  3. What are patronymic surnames?
    Surnames derived from a parent’s name, often with suffixes like -son or -smith.

  4. What influence did the Germanic language have on English place names?
    Many English place names originate from Germanic languages.

English as a World Language

  1. What are the primary reasons for the emergence of English as a world language?
    Economic, political, and technological power.

  2. What are examples of industries that promote English globally?
    Media, advertising, broadcasting, and international travel.

The Three Circles Model by Braj Kachru

  1. Who developed the Three Circles Model of World English?
    Indian linguist Braj Kachru.

  2. When was the Three Circles Model first proposed, and when was it improved?
    First proposed in 1984, with detailed improvements in 1990.

  3. What are the three circles in Kachru’s model?
    Inner circle, outer circle, and expanding circle.

Future of English

  1. What factors are expected to influence the future of English as a global language?
    Continued population growth, increase in English speakers, and technological advancements.