World Englishes

Globalization is a very contentious and controversial term. The term globalization was coined Theodore Levitt 1in 1985 to describe ongoing socioeconomic transformations in the post-modern world (Spring, 2009). In the last twenty years or so the term globalization has been used in various disciplines with different connotations. For example, in scholarship with neo-Marxian leaning the term globalization has been linked with the advanced stage of capitalism (Hill, 2003). Phillipson (1992) links globalization of English to linguicism or linguistic imperialism. Phillipson’s argument is of interest for our discussion especially because is one that has been contested by many scholars for being reductionist (e.g., Pennycook, 1994) and accepted by others (Skuttnab-Kangas, 2009). The perspective that privileges the analysis of the role of English as serving the purposes of imperialism views English as a mechanism of domination used by Anglo-American powers namely the United States and Britain to pursue socioeconomic and cultural homogenization (Americanization) of the world. (See, Block, 2002, 2004; Maurais & Morris, 2003; Spring, 2009, for review of globalization language policy and teaching, and Martell, 2010; Rosenberg, 2000 and Scholte, 2005 for discussion of globalization theory). However, the most appealing definition of globalization is one provided by British sociologist, Anthony Giddens. According to Giddens (1991) globalization is “the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice-versa” (p. 64).
Giddens (1991), definitions is in line with the my argument, in the sense that, for my purpose I conceptualize En...

... middle of paper ...

...ony due its socioeconomic and political importance in the context of globalization.
It is against this backdrop that the notion of World Englishes emerges. The term World Englishes was first theorized by Kachru (1985). Taking up a controversial debate about the status of local varieties of English, that is, World Englishes (WEs), Kachru established the taxonomy of WEs. According to Kachru (1985), World varieties of English are divided into three concentric circles. The Inner Circle, which includes the Native English-Speaking countries such as England, USA, and Canada; the Outer Circle which consists of countries such as India, Nigeria and the expanding circle which comprises countries such as China, Japan, and Turkey ( Kilickaya, 2009). Kachru’s taxonomy of World varieties focuses on socio-historical role of Standard English and the status of local varieties.