Overview

Written from a non-Western perspective, this book exposes the inadequacy of oppositions such as native versus non-native Englishes and English versus New Englishes. It explains why the label 'World Englishes' captures both what the different Englishes share and how they differ from each other. It also criticizes the kinds of power asymmetries that have evolved between the Inner, Outer, and Expanding Circles of English, while showing the extent to which the Outer Circle has enriched their common language and made it suitable for both its heritage and non-heritage users. The narrative is grounded in a wealth of historical knowledge, especially that of the colonization of the Outer Circle. Readers are invited to compare the spread and differentiation of English with those of Latin, which evolved into the Romance languages. This comparison may leave the reader asking: could English break up into Anglian languages?

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Reviews

'A classic collection that enlarges and illuminates a range of key issues relating to culture, literary creativity, linguistic inquiry, multilingualism and the dynamics of Englishes worldwide ... Essential reading for all those interested in the theoretical underpinnings of World Englishes as an academic discipline.' Kingsley Bolton, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 'This consolidated version of Braj Kachru's seminal and still relevant research on the postcolonial roles, forms and functions of English will continue to challenge and serve a new generation of students and researchers.' Rajend Mesthrie, University of Cape Town 'A classic collection that enlarges and illuminates a range of key issues relating to culture, literary creativity, linguistic inquiry, multilingualism and the dynamics of Englishes worldwide ... Essential reading for all those interested in the theoretical underpinnings of World Englishes as an academic discipline.' Kingsley Bolton, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 'This consolidated version of Braj B. Kachru's seminal and still relevant research on the postcolonial roles, forms and functions of English will continue to challenge and serve a new generation of students and researchers.' Rajend Mesthrie, University of Cape Town

'A classic collection that enlarges and illuminates a range of key issues relating to culture, literary creativity, linguistic inquiry, multilingualism and the dynamics of Englishes worldwide ... Essential reading for all those interested in the theoretical underpinnings of World Englishes as an academic discipline.' Kingsley Bolton, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 'This consolidated version of Braj Kachru's seminal and still relevant research on the postcolonial roles, forms and functions of English will continue to challenge and serve a new generation of students and researchers.' Rajend Mesthrie, University of Cape Town

'A classic collection that enlarges and illuminates a range of key issues relating to culture, literary creativity, linguistic inquiry, multilingualism and the dynamics of Englishes worldwide ... Essential reading for all those interested in the theoretical underpinnings of World Englishes as an academic discipline.' Kingsley Bolton, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 'This consolidated version of Braj Kachru's seminal and still relevant research on the postcolonial roles, forms and functions of English will continue to challenge and serve a new generation of students and researchers.' Rajend Mesthrie, University of Cape Town A classic collection that enlarges and illuminates a range of key issues relating to culture, literary creativity, linguistic inquiry, multilingualism and the dynamics of Englishes worldwide ... Essential reading for all those interested in the theoretical underpinnings of World Englishes as an academic discipline. Kingsley Bolton, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore This consolidated version of Braj Kachru's seminal and still relevant research on the postcolonial roles, forms and functions of English will continue to challenge and serve a new generation of students and researchers. Rajend Mesthrie, University of Cape Town

'A classic collection that enlarges and illuminates a range of key issues relating to culture, literary creativity, linguistic inquiry, multilingualism and the dynamics of Englishes worldwide ... Essential reading for all those interested in the theoretical underpinnings of World Englishes as an academic discipline.' Kingsley Bolton, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 'This consolidated version of Braj B. Kachru's seminal and still relevant research on the postcolonial roles, forms and functions of English will continue to challenge and serve a new generation of students and researchers.' Rajend Mesthrie, University of Cape Town 'A classic collection that enlarges and illuminates a range of key issues relating to culture, literary creativity, linguistic inquiry, multilingualism and the dynamics of Englishes worldwide ... Essential reading for all those interested in the theoretical underpinnings of World Englishes as an academic discipline.' Kingsley Bolton, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 'This consolidated version of Braj B. Kachru's seminal and still relevant research on the postcolonial roles, forms and functions of English will continue to challenge and serve a new generation of students and researchers.' Rajend Mesthrie, University of Cape Town

Author Information

Braj B. Kachru (1932–2016) spent most of his career at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and served as Head of the Department of Linguistics (1968–79), Director of the Division of English as an International Language (1985–91) and Director of the University's Center for Advanced Study (1996–2000). He became the Jubilee Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Illinois in 1992, and the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Visiting Professor at Hong Kong University in 1998. He co-founded the International Association of World Englishes and the journal World Englishes, and authored or edited over a dozen books on World Englishes and Kashmiri.

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