scholarly journals Impacts of World Englishes on local standardized language proficiency testing in the Expanding Circle

English Today ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Qiusi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Proficiency Testing ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
The World ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Concentric Circles ◽  
Inner Circle ◽  
Changing Demographics

The world Englishes (WEs) paradigm describes the spread of English in three concentric circles (Kachru, 1985) – the Inner Circle (e.g., the USA, UK, and Australia), the Outer Circle (e.g. India, Philippines, and Singapore), and the Expanding Circle (e.g. China, Indonesia, and Thailand). With Englishization and nativization outside the Inner Circle and the changing demographics of English users (e.g. non-native speakers [NNSs] considerably outnumber the native speakers [NSs] in the Inner Circle [Crystal, 1995; Graddol, 1999], the WEs research strongly advocates to recognize the NNS varieties. Until today, the WEs paradigm has not only posed challenges to, but also encouraged changes in, the language testing (LT) profession that has been traditionally relying on the Inner Circle standard (e.g., Kachru, 1985; Lowenberg, 2002; Davies, Hamp–Lyons & Kemp, 2003; Hu, 2012; Brown, 2014).

scholarly journals Kachru’s Three Concentric Circles Model of English Language: An Overview of Criticism & the Place of Kuwait in it

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Mohammad A. Al-Mutairi
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
English Language ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Outer Circle ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Concentric Circles ◽  
Inner Circle ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk

This paper attempts to examine in a descriptive way the pioneering model of “World Englishes” proposed by Kachru in the mid-1980s that allocates the presence of English into three concentric circles: The Inner Circle, the Outer Circle, and the Expanding Circle. The Inner Circle presents the countries where English is used as a native language and as a first language among people. These countries include the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The Outer Circle includes countries that have old historical British colonial relations and where English is commonly used in social life or the government sectors. Most of the countries that belong to this circle are former colonies of the British Empire, such as India, Malaysia, Singapore, Ghana, Kenya, and others. The usage of English in these countries is similar to what is known as English as a second language. The third circle, The Expanding Circle, includes countries that introduce English as a foreign language in schools and universities, mostly for communicating in English with the Inner and Outer Circles. Such countries include Turkey, Saudi Arabia, The Emirates, Japan, China, Korea, and others. Since its first introduction in 1985, Kachru's Three Concentric Circles Model of English Language has occasioned a great debate. Many linguists considered it one of the most influential models for understanding the use of English in different countries. Some, on the other hand, including Kachru himself, criticized the model for its oversimplification and the unclear membership to the circles. In addition to an overview of criticism on Kachru's model based on different studies, this paper tries to locate the place of ELT in Kuwait among the three circles.

scholarly journals A Comparative study on English language teaching to young learners around the world

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 114-118
Author(s):  
Cansu Orsel ◽  
Fatih Yavuz
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Outer Circle ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
The World ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
Inner Circle

Usage of the English language as Lingua Franca has caused an increasing demand on the English Language Teaching (ELT) in early childhood and according to Braj Kachru’s Three Circles Model of World Englishes as the Inner Circle, the Outer Circle, and the Expanding Circle the approaches to the Young Learners dramatically differs. Besides the features of English as a global language and the nature of early language learning, this paper also focuses on the comparison of the three different examples from the Three Circles Model of World Englishes. They are compared in terms of techniques that are used and the approaches to the Young Learners. The examples taken are from the official websites of the three countries from the Inner Circle, Outer Circle, and the Expanding Circle; respectively, New Zealand’s Ministry of Education, Indian Ministry of Human Resource Development, and the Turkish Board of Education and Instruction. Keywords: Young Learners, The World Englishes, Lingua Franca, Braj Kachru, English Language Teaching (ELT).

scholarly journals Verb Complementation in News Headlines by the Inner, Outer, and Expanding Circles

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 43-59
Author(s):  
Jess Mendoza ◽  
Cecilia Genuino ◽  
Maria Elizabeth De Luna
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Outer Circle ◽  
Verb Phrases ◽  
The World ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
Concentric Circles ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Ditransitive Verbs ◽  
News Headlines

The English language has survived the pangs of giving birth to its variations commonly called as World Englishes. Though there are many “Englishes” in the globe today, they do have similarities and differences which are manifested in the different styles employed by writers around the world. In this regard, the study aimed to analyze the structure of verb phrases in news headlines of the different countries in Kachru’s three concentric circles leading to the identification of types of verbs used. This is done to give fresher ideas into the style of headline writing by understanding what types of verbs are used by the writers from the inner, outer, and expanding circles. Using Brinton, L and Brinton, D’s (2010) structure of verb complementation, the researchers analyzed five news headlines per circle which served as their corpus in identifying the complements present in the verb phrases. This, furthermore, led to the following results: a) inner and outer circles mostly use monotransitive verbs, b) outer circle is characterized by its use of copulative verbs, inner circle by its usage of intransitive verb, and the expanding circle by its usage of prepositional and ditransitive verbs c) expanding and inner circles use diprepositional verbs while outer circle does not, d) the expanding and outer circles both use complex transitive, e) the expanding circle exhibits the characteristics of both inner and outer circles, and f) the circles overlap each other.

scholarly journals Looking under Kachru's (1982, 1985) three circles model of World Englishes: the hidden reality and current challenges

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 373-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Robert Schmitz
Keyword(s):  
Native Speaker ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Cultural Rights ◽  
Language Functions ◽  
Language Studies ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
Dominant Ideologies ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Inner Circle

This paper examines the pioneering model of World Englishes formulated by Kachru in the early 1980s that allocates the presence of English into three concentric circles: first of all, the inner circle (Great Britain, the USA) where the language functions as an L1 (or native language); secondly, the outer circle (India, Nigeria) where the language was forced upon the subjugated people by Britain; thirdly, the expanding circle (China, Brazil) where English is studied as a foreign language. Researchers in the area of language studies tend to put too much store in Kachru's model expecting it to expose the different circles: (i) the proficiency level of the speakers, (ii) the variation that exists in the different dialects of the language, and (iii) how the many users appropriate the language to perform their daily routine. Pung (2009) suggests "going beyond" the three circle model with his proposal of a Conical Model of English (CME), while Park and Wee (2009, p.402) state that models have no "magical efficacy in challenging dominant ideologies of English" and that change in the world is not brought about by models but my people. Based on Park and Lee's caution with regard to models, and in lieu of Pung's "going beyond" the well-known Kachruvian model, the thrust of this article is to look specifically under the inner circle, that is, the supposed "native speaker domain". It will be argued in this paper that the circles function as a palimpsest erasing and ignoring what happened in the past linguistically, historically and culturally before the appearance of English in the spaces that the language occupies at the present time in the inner, outer, and expanding circles. An examination of days gone-by, with a focus on Kachru's inner circle, can present a mirror to examine: (i) bilingual (multilingual) biases, (ii) migration of peoples and treatment of immigrants, (iii) respect (or lack of) for the linguistic and cultural rights of minorities, and (iv) the hegemony of English in relation to other languages - issues that concern us today and will continue to do so in the coming years.

scholarly journals The Emergence of an “Intersecting Circle” in Kachru’s Three Concentric Circles of World Englishes: A Case of Ethno-linguistic Neutrality in Central Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Peter Ochefu Okpeh ◽  
James Udaa
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Linguistic Identity ◽  
Childhood Exposure ◽  
English Usage ◽  
Concentric Circles ◽  
Inner Circle

There is evidence that contemporary Nigeria is drifting towards a society of monolingual English users a component of which could be defined as lacking in ethno-linguistic identity. This trend is found among a generation of young Nigerian urban dwellers (between the age bracket of (12 and 25) who can neither communicate in their parents’ native language(s) nor indeed in any other Nigerian indigenous language; their only medium of communication is English. Although based on their childhood exposure to the English language and their relative competence in it, English can be described as their ‘‘mother tongue’’ but the fact that they are not native speakers given the socio-geographical circumstances of their birth excludes them from Kachru’s (1988) Inner Circle classification of native speakers. Consequently, these Nigerians are left without a clearly defined ethno-linguistic affiliation. This paper interrogates this emerging sociolinguistic phenomenon in especially Central Nigeria, with the aim of stimulating scholarly consciousness on the ethno-linguistic identity of this category of Nigerians, and its implications for English usage among them. The submission of the paper is that another circle, “the intersecting circle”, be created for them since they bestride both the inner circle in having English as their “mother tongue” and yet they are not native speakers of the language

Mentoring University Preparatory Students Through World Englishes (WEs)-Integrated Courses

2018 ◽  
pp. 77-96
Author(s):  
Ahmet Cihat Kapçık ◽  
Ali Öztüfekçi ◽  
Aybüke Demet Ören ◽  
Ayten Kaplan ◽  
Çiğdem Yılmaz Uzunkaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
The World ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
The Status ◽  
Data Collection Procedure

The increasing number of non-native English speakers in the world has led to the use of varieties of English. Nowadays, the number of speakers of English in the expanding circle has exceeded the number of speakers in the outer and inner circles. This has given rise to the scrutiny of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). With this regard, the research on World Englishes (WEs) has increased over the last few decades. In light of these observations, the purpose of this chapter is to raise awareness of World Englishes (WEs) among preparatory students at private universities in Turkey. Specifically, the study is concerned with mentoring preparatory students through Wes-integrated courses. The participants of this study were 20 preparatory students at A2-level English proficiency. As data collection procedure, the mentor teacher of the existing program adapted EFL materials including videos, dialogues, and integrated four language skills. The data were collected through questionnaires and reflective essays. With regard to the results, the students had an idea about the concept of Wes, and they became aware of the varieties of English to some extent; specifically, they displayed consciousness about the status of English across the world and sympathy toward WEs.

Linguistic and cultural dictionary of geographical names of great Britain and the USA

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Сергей Гарагуля ◽  
Sergey Garagulya
Keyword(s):  
Great Britain ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Background Knowledge ◽  
Place Names ◽  
Universities And Colleges ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Cultural Linguistics

The dictionary is built on the principles of cultural linguistics, is a collection of culturally significant place names of great Britain and the USA included in the background knowledge of native speakers of British and American linguistic cultures, and are part of their linguistic picture of the world. It aims to reveal the contents of this toponymic vocabulary. It is addressed to students and postgraduates of philological specialties, teachers of universities and colleges, as well as a wide range of readers interested in English and onomastics

World Englishes in language testing: a call for research

English Today ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 32-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Ju Kim
Keyword(s):  
World Wide ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Language Testing ◽  
Oral Proficiency ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Important Goal ◽  
The World ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

Native speakers of English are a minority; there are far more non-native speakers in the world (cf. Kachru 1997, Pennycook 2001). In addition, native speakers' standard or ‘correct’ English, in terms of its grammar and phonology, is not always useful or even appropriate in international contexts (cf. Gisborne 2000, Newbrook 1998, Shim 1999). However, despite global changes in the use of the language, the norms for ENL (English as a Native Language) remain dominant, most notably for the assessment of oral proficiency. Yet it is a major deficiency in the use of international oral tests that the proficiency of non-native speakers is measured against unrealistic and irrelevant standards (cf. Jenkins, 1996). The present paper focuses on the need to revisit the testing of English oral proficiency for non-native speakers, bearing in mind that English is used for world-wide communication and that being able to understand one another (cf. McKay, 2002) is the most important goal.

scholarly journals Teaching English as an International Language (EIL) in Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-41
Author(s):  
Mohan Singh Saud
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Global Context ◽  
International Language ◽  
The World ◽  
The Status ◽  
Concentric Circles

With the rapid growth and widespread use of English worldwide, there has been a paradigm shift from teaching English as foreign language to teaching English as an international language. However, there has been less discussion on English pedagogy about the global spread of English in this era of globalization, with rapid increase of English speakers around the world. The internationalisation of the status of English, leading to the emergence of World Englishes, has led to discuss the issue of teaching English as an international language (TEIL) to visit the way we conceptualise and teach English. As English is no longer a homogeneous language, English teachers across the world have been teaching English according to their own contexts. Considering this scenario, this article discusses teaching and learning of English as an international language in the context of Nepal, taking Kachru’s three concentric circles of English in the global context as the theoretical framework and English as an international language as the conceptual framework, focusing on use of culturally sensitive EIL pedagogy.

Which English Should We Stand For? Voices from Lecturers in Thai Multicultural Universities

RELC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 003368822110546
Author(s):  
Yusop Boonsuk
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
Linguistic Conventions ◽  
Inner Circle ◽  
Thai English ◽  
University Lecturers ◽  
Rapid Transformation

The rapid transformation of English linguistic landscapes has introduced the world to newly emerging English varieties or World Englishes, which are not typically employed in the Inner Circle. To address the defying phenomenon, this qualitative study explored the perceptions of Thai university lecturers on World Englishes, Thai English and the feasibility of implementing World Englishes and Thai English in the classrooms. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 15 English lecturers in 5 universities across the Thai regions. Analyzed by content analysis, findings revealed that the participants demonstrated mixed perceptions. While most of the participants viewed British and American Englishes as representations of standard English varieties and questioned the legitimacy of World Englishes and Thai English, others reportedly recognized and accepted the existence of World Englishes and considered Thai English as a tool to convey Thai identities and cultures. The findings also indicated that most participants outright disapproved of World Englishes and Thai English in teaching practices, and these varieties were substantially marginalized and devalued. However, to prepare learners for realistic use of English and increase their awareness of World Englishes and Thai English, the remaining participants suggested that English language teaching should embrace flexible linguistic conventions that allow spaces for Inner Circle, Outer Circle and Expanding Circle Englishes.

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