One language, many Englishes

Så fungerar det

We want to discuss language variation precisely and without judging. Linguists describe differences in vocabulary (crisps and chips), spelling (colour and color), pronunciation and grammar (I've got and I have) rather than calling one variety correct.

A reflective text combines observation and thought: what you noticed, an example, why it might be so, and what it taught you. Use precise terms such as variety, accent, dialect and standard, and support general statements with concrete examples.

In British English a lift takes you upstairs, while in American English it is an elevator; neither word is more correct than the other.

Whose English is it?

English is spoken as a first language by around 400 million people and as a second or foreign language by many more. It is the main language of countries as different as Australia, Jamaica, Ireland and the United States, and an official language in India, Nigeria, Singapore and many others. With so many speakers, it is hardly surprising that English is not one language but a family of varieties. The differences that learners notice first are usually words. A British tourist in New York who asks for chips may receive crisps, and one who asks for the toilet may be directed to the restroom. Australians have a reputation for shortening words, turning breakfast into brekkie, afternoon into arvo and sunglasses into sunnies. Spelling varies too: the British colour, centre and travelled become color, center and traveled in the United States. Pronunciation, however, may be the most noticeable difference of all. A word like water sounds quite different in London, Texas and Sydney, and within Britain alone the range of accents is remarkable. Many linguists point out that every accent follows its own regular patterns, and that no accent is linguistically better than another, even if some carry more social prestige than others. This matters for learners. For decades, schools in many countries taught a single standard, usually British or American, and treated everything else as an error. Today, many teachers encourage pupils to understand a range of varieties and to speak clearly in whatever accent they have. After all, most conversations in English now take place between speakers for whom it is a second language. Perhaps the real question is not which English is correct, but whether people understand each other.

Källor

1. Kursplan i engelska, Lgr22, Skolverket