Knowra World Englishes World Englishes World Englishes are localized varieties of English shaped by the histories, languages, and social practices of communities around the world. The term recognizes multiple established Englishes rather than treating every variety as a deviation from one standard.
English language : A West Germanic language that developed in England and is now used worldwide. World Englishes are varieties of this shared language.
British Empire : A global empire that expanded from England and Britain through conquest, settlement, and rule. Its expansion established English in societies where distinct local varieties later developed.
Kachru's Three Circles of English : Braj Kachru’s model grouping English use into Inner, Outer, and Expanding Circles. It distinguishes historical, institutional, and additional-language contexts for World Englishes.
World Standard English : A proposed common international standard for English usage across national varieties. It favors shared norms, unlike the recognition of multiple localized standards.
English language teaching : The practice of teaching English as an additional or first language. World Englishes raise questions about which accents, usages, and cultural contexts teaching should include.
Standard English : A socially privileged set of English conventions used in writing, education, and formal communication. Its standards provide a reference point that World Englishes challenge as the sole norm.
English in India : The forms and uses of English that developed in India through education, administration, and everyday communication. India illustrates how colonial-era English became locally rooted and institutionally significant.
English as a lingua franca : English used as a shared means of communication among people with different first languages. Its flexible, multilingual interactions reveal forms of English beyond native-speaker norms.
Native-speakerism : The belief that native speakers are inherently superior models or authorities for language teaching. It can marginalize established World Englishes by privileging native-speaker norms.
English as a global language : The worldwide use of English across communication, education, government, and popular culture. The global reach of English creates the conditions for diverse localized varieties.
Show all 28