In this course we examine some of the current debates around the role and status of English in the world. We consider historical, cultural, political and economic bases for the spread of English around the globe. Some of the contexts and domains to be discussed include mobility (including colonisation, migration and tourism), education, media, commerce, and translation. We address critically such notions as the ‘standard’, ‘correctness’, and ‘native speaker’, in order to tease out a link between linguistic variation, language ideologies and social stratification. Special focus on Hong Kong English will include issues of language attitudes, educational policy and linguistic creativity.
Recommended reading:
The course is largely organized around the following text:
Ann Hewings and Caroline Tagg. 2012. The Politics of English: Conflict, Competition, Co-existence. London: Routledge.
The students must read a required chapter from the above textbook before class. Additional readings will be provided at the start of the course.
Assessment:
100% coursework
A theoretical assessment of two critical positions / theories (1000 words) – 30%
A critical, data-based essay (2500–3000 words) – 50%
Presentation and contribution to class discussion – 20%
Class Schedule:
Week 1
3 September:
The world language system and global English.
Week 2
10 September
English and migration.
Week 3
17 September
The politics of English language education.
Week 4
24 September
English the industry
Week 5
1 October – holiday; no class
Week 6
8 October
English and global media.
Week 7
15 October
Translating into and out of English.
Week 8
22 October
Ideologies of English.
Week 9
29 October – reading week; no class
Week 10
5 November
English as the language of international tourism.
Week 11
12 November
The politics of English in new media.
Week 12
19 November
Student presentations
Week 13
26 November
Student presentations
Week 14
3 December
Student presentations
Further Reading:
History of English
McIntyre Dan. 2009. History of English: A Resource Book for Students. London: Routledge.
Fennell, Barbara A. 2001. A History of English: A Sociolinguistic Approach. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell.
English and language education
Luk, C.M. Jasmine and Angel Mei Yi Lin. 2007. Classroom Interactions as Cross-cultural Encounters: Native Speakers in EFL lessons. Mahwah N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Language testing
Shohamy, Elana and Tim McNamara (eds.) 2009. Language Testing for Citizenship, Immigration and Asylum. Special issue of Language Assessment Quarterly 6/1.
Standardization
Crowley, Tony. 1991. Proper English? Readings in Language, History and Cultural Identity. London: Routledge
Milroy, James and Lesley Milroy. 1985. Authority in Language: Investigating Language Prescription and Standardization. London: Routledge.
Bex Tony and Richard J. Watts (ed.). 1999. Standard English: The Widening Debate. London: Routledge.
Colonial history and linguistic imperialism
Phillipson, Robert. 1992. Linguistic Imperialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Pennycook, Alastair. 1998. English and the Discourses of Colonialism. London: Routledge.
Holborrow, Marnie. 1999. The Politics of English: A Marxist View of Language. London: Sage.
Canagarajah, Suresh. 1999. Resisting Linguistic Imperialism in English Teaching. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press.
Viswanathan, Gauri. 1989. Masks of Conquest: Literary Study and British Colonial Rule in India. New York: Columbia University Press.
Friel, Brian. 1981. Translations. London; Boston: Faber and Faber
Ngugi, Wa Thiong'o. 1986. Decolonizing the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Litreature. London: J. Currey.
World Englishes
Bolton, Kingsley. 2003. Chinese Englishes: A Sociolinguistic History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cummins, Jim and Chris Davison. 2007 International Handbook of English Language Teaching, Part One. New York: Springer.
Jenkins, Jennifer. 2009. World Englishes: A Resource Book for Students. London; New York: Routledge.
Kachru, Braj B. and Kingsley Bolton. 2006. World Englishes. London; New York: Routledge.
Kachru, Braj B. and Kinglsey Bolton. 2007. Asian Englishes. London; New York: Routledge.
Pennycook, Alastair. 1994. The Cultural Politics of English as an International Language. London: Longman.
English as a global language
Pennycook, Alastair. 2007. Global Englishes and Transcultural Flows. London: Routledge.
Pennycook, Alastair. 2010. Language as a Local Practice. London: Routledge.
Seargeant, Philip. 2009. The Idea of English in Japan: Ideology and the Evolution of a Global Language. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
