The New Englishes

First published in 1984, The New Englishes explores new varieties of English. Well-known examples of New Englishes include Indian English, Philippine English, Singapore English and African Englishes of nations such as Nigeria and Ghana.

The book deals with the way New Englishes have developed in those non-native situations where they are used for a wide range of functions within the community. These New Englishes are varieties which have become localized not only through the influence of the other languages of the regions where they are used but also through being adapted to the life and culture of their speakers. They are, or are in the process of becoming, varieties of English in their own right—as legitimate as the ‘older’ Englishes which have been passed on from generation to generation of native speakers. As the authors show, these New Englishes had their beginnings in the colonial era, but in many nations, independence has meant an increase in the use and functions of English.

Characteristics of these New Englishes are examined and compared to show that although there are many differences from one New English to another, there are also striking similarities. Topics such as accent and intonation, new meanings for words, new expressions, features of sentence structure, the development of styles, problems of standards and the use of the New Englishes in literature are discussed. Throughout the book, the authors show how English has been modified and enriched in its new settings.