Innovative structures in the relative clauses of indigenized L2 Asian English varieties
Abstract
This paper examines morphosyntactic variation in World Englishes, looking specifically at processes of relativization. Drawing on data from the International Corpus of English, it analyzes adnominal relative clauses in the spoken language of a selection of international varieties of English, namely those of Hong-Kong, India and Singapore. The study presents a qualitative analysis of relative structures and explores specific constructions which are found in these World Englishes but not - or only very exceptionally - in standard English. The existence of these constructions is examined in light of the following factors: (i) influence of the target language or geographical variety of English that acted as the colonizer language (British English) (ii) L1 transfer, which determines the preference of certain relative markers over others (e.g. preference for wh- forms in Indian English) (iii) language contact phenomena, which accounts for the occurrence of certain innovative structures as globalized features of world-wide varieties of English, following The Electronic World Atlas of Varieties of English (Kortmann and Lunkenheimer 2013) (iv) evolutionary factors in these norm-developing varieties taking into account the different degree of development of the corresponding localized variety of English, following Schneider’s Dynamic Model (2007).
Abstract
This paper examines morphosyntactic variation in World Englishes, looking specifically at processes of relativization. Drawing on data from the International Corpus of English, it analyzes adnominal relative clauses in the spoken language of a selection of international varieties of English, namely those of Hong-Kong, India and Singapore. The study presents a qualitative analysis of relative structures and explores specific constructions which are found in these World Englishes but not - or only very exceptionally - in standard English. The existence of these constructions is examined in light of the following factors: (i) influence of the target language or geographical variety of English that acted as the colonizer language (British English) (ii) L1 transfer, which determines the preference of certain relative markers over others (e.g. preference for wh- forms in Indian English) (iii) language contact phenomena, which accounts for the occurrence of certain innovative structures as globalized features of world-wide varieties of English, following The Electronic World Atlas of Varieties of English (Kortmann and Lunkenheimer 2013) (iv) evolutionary factors in these norm-developing varieties taking into account the different degree of development of the corresponding localized variety of English, following Schneider’s Dynamic Model (2007).
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter i
- Table of contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Changing English: global and local perspectives xi
-
I. Towards the study of Global English
- Editors’ Introduction to Part I 3
- Crisis of the “Outer Circle”? – Globalisation, the weak nation state, and the need for new taxonomies in World Englishes research 5
- The Ecology of Language and the New Englishes: toward an integrative framework 25
-
II. Ongoing changes in Englishes around the globe
- Editors’ Introduction to Part II 59
- The Present Perfect as a core feature of World Englishes 63
- Innovative structures in the relative clauses of indigenized L2 Asian English varieties 89
- Morphosyntactic typology, contact and variation: Cape Flats English in relation to other South African Englishes in the Mouton World Atlas of Variation in English 109
- Omission of direct objects in New Englishes 129
- The definite article in World Englishes 155
- Aspects of Verb Complementation in New Zealand Newspaper English 169
- Extended uses of the progressive form in Inner, Outer and Expanding Circle Englishes 191
-
III. Expanding the horizons: lingua franca, cognitive, and contact-linguistic perspectives
- Editors’ Introduction to Part III 219
- A glimpse of ELF 223
- Lending bureaucracy voice: negotiating English in institutional encounters 255
- On the relationship between the cognitive and the communal: a complex systems perspective 277
- Transfer is Transfer; Grammaticalization is Grammaticalization 311
- Subject index 331
- Languages and Varieties index 340
- Author Index 343
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter i
- Table of contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Changing English: global and local perspectives xi
-
I. Towards the study of Global English
- Editors’ Introduction to Part I 3
- Crisis of the “Outer Circle”? – Globalisation, the weak nation state, and the need for new taxonomies in World Englishes research 5
- The Ecology of Language and the New Englishes: toward an integrative framework 25
-
II. Ongoing changes in Englishes around the globe
- Editors’ Introduction to Part II 59
- The Present Perfect as a core feature of World Englishes 63
- Innovative structures in the relative clauses of indigenized L2 Asian English varieties 89
- Morphosyntactic typology, contact and variation: Cape Flats English in relation to other South African Englishes in the Mouton World Atlas of Variation in English 109
- Omission of direct objects in New Englishes 129
- The definite article in World Englishes 155
- Aspects of Verb Complementation in New Zealand Newspaper English 169
- Extended uses of the progressive form in Inner, Outer and Expanding Circle Englishes 191
-
III. Expanding the horizons: lingua franca, cognitive, and contact-linguistic perspectives
- Editors’ Introduction to Part III 219
- A glimpse of ELF 223
- Lending bureaucracy voice: negotiating English in institutional encounters 255
- On the relationship between the cognitive and the communal: a complex systems perspective 277
- Transfer is Transfer; Grammaticalization is Grammaticalization 311
- Subject index 331
- Languages and Varieties index 340
- Author Index 343
