English and lexical inventiveness in the Italian linguistic landscape

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Vettorel ◽  
Valeria Franceschi

The study of the linguistic landscape has seen a growing interest in recent years, focusing on written information publicly available in a given territory, city or area (Landry & Bourhis 1997). English is widely present in the linguistic landscape worldwide (e.g. Cenoz & Gorter 2006, 2008; Shohamy & Gorter 2009; Shohamy et al. 2010), often in its lingua franca role (Bruyèl-Olmedo & Juan-Garau 2009), and Italy appears to be no exception (Ross 1997; Schlick 2003; Griffin 2004; Gorter 2007; Coluzzi 2009).This paper investigates examples of lexical inventiveness involving English in a set of data gathered in the linguistic landscape of some cities and towns in Veneto (Northern Italy), each with different though complementary contextual characteristics. Signs containing English, either monolingually or in combination with Italian, were selected and analysed as to lexical creativity, as well as semantic shifts/extensions. The data shows that English is often employed both in monolingual and in hybrid/bilingual processes at several linguistic levels, from orthography to word-formation (Huebner 2006), testifying to its pervasive presence in expanding circle contexts, either as a (globalized) symbol of modernity or in appropriating linguistic practices. Keywords: English in the linguistic landscape; lexical inventiveness; word-formation; English and local languages; English as a Lingua Franca

Author(s):  
Jennifer Jenkins

This article discusses English in terms of its role as a contact language among expanding circle users of English from different first languages. It begins by observing both similarities between English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) and other lingua francas, and the difference in scale between them, with ELF involving a far higher number of people and first languages. The article goes on to explore empirical research into ELF, and its key findings: on the one hand, that certain “nonstandard” English forms are regularly preferred to “standard” (i.e. native) ones, and on the other, that ELF is far more affected by context and accommodation processes, and, therefore, far more diverse, than native Englishes. The notion of “community of practice,” it is argued, is, thus, more appropriate to ELF than that of “speech community.” The article concludes by considering three key areas of ELF research that need to be tackled.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Linus Salö

ABSTRACT This article utilizes Bourdieu's sociology to grasp the relations between linguistic practice and spatiality, and, through that effort, to position language as a pivotal terrain in internationalizing academe. Empirically, it explores Swedish academe and the linguistic practices of its dwellers: Swedish-speaking and non-Swedish-speaking researchers in four disciplines. Here, Swedish co-exists with English as a lingua franca and other languages. Observational and interview data show that this situation gives rise to complex linguistic practices in the workplace, consisting of speakers alternating between Swedish and English or evading other languages. Following Bourdieu, these phenomena manifest in moments when matters of space are rendered salient. They show that linguistic practice is bound up with space to the extent that their interrelationship becomes discernable only when the spatial logic that confines linguistic practices is rejigged. While linguistic practices seemingly operate on a location-based principle, they actually pertain to speakers’ linguistic habitus in relation to the linguistic market conditions in play. (Linguistic practice, space, internationalizing academe)*


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 114-118
Author(s):  
Cansu Orsel ◽  
Fatih Yavuz

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).


MANUSYA ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 72-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiwahporn Thongtong

This study investigates how the linguistic landscape both creates and reflects a tourist space on language choices in creating signs on Nimmanhemin Road in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In addition, the study explores what linguistic devices are used in the creation of signs on Nimmanhemin Road. Sign data are collected from both sides of Nimanhaemin Road. Every sign in front of stores was photographed and analyzed in terms of language choices and linguistic devices. The study reveals that tourism in Chiang Mai has influences on language choices in sign creation. Monolingual, bilingual and trilingual signs can be found on Nimmanhemin Road, normally written in Thai, English and / or Chinese. In terms of linguistic strategies, transliteration, word formation, lexical relations, speech acts and politeness strategies are demonstrated in my findings. The study has both theoretical and practical contributions. Theoretically, it challenges commonly held notions of bilingual organization of information and language prominence. Practically, the study has pedagogical applications and the study findings can be used for English language instruction.


Al-Burz ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-83
Author(s):  
Dr. Noor Ahmed ◽  
Bijar khan ◽  
Dr. Mirwais Kasi ◽  
Abdul Qadir

This paper examines the definite impacts of English language’s removal as an official language in Pakistan as well as analyzes critically whether the timing of the decision is a sane motive?  English surely is the lingua franca and educational language in the world possessing the prime status regarding international communiqué. Scholastic development as accepted by globalization has to shifted the character of the English language. Whereas English has turned out to be an essential means increasing attractiveness in international arena, as the top developing countries are emphasizing more and more on English language to be universalized in all fields. Although the local languages do have their importance and may not be discarded to be used as official languages. The findings of this study reveal the possible economic impacts and common realism of different linguistic development as well as strategy creativities in the country as well as to recommend the better policies and planning for the actual use of local as well as English language.


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