David Crystal – World Englishes — Transcript

[Music] Well, the talk was called, as you probably heard, The Future of Englishes. And the important thing is that ES ending at the end there, you know, don't fall into a trap of thinking, as some people do around the world, there is no such word. You know, English does not have a plural. Oh yes, it does. English is very definitely around, and that word came into being about 10 or 15 years ago, really, to reflect the reality of what happens when English becomes a global language. Because what does happen, you know, as a country takes up the English language and adopts it, it immediately adapts it to suit its circumstances. Because what is language for? Language exists in order for us to talk about what we want to talk about. So, what do you want to talk about? Well, anything, I suppose, the whole world. But you especially want to talk about what's happening in Serbia, or whoever's watching this, your country. And therefore, you want to have an English that actually reflects your local interests, your history, the things that happen around you, all the things that you would naturally do in your own language. If you're learning another language as an international language, then you want to be able to talk in that language as well. And so, what is happening in English as it goes around the world, becomes global, is that the different countries that have adopted it immediately start to make it their own. They start to shape it and push it in a direction it never was in before. Now, this has happened ever since English began. So, take 400 years ago or so, when the first people arrived in America, and you know, we're talking 1606, that's the sort of period, and they settle on the eastern seaboard of America. You get the beginnings of Virginia, and the result is American English eventually. But how long do you think it takes for an American English to develop? Are you thinking decades or hundreds of years? It only takes weeks for a new variety of English to start to grow because as soon as you arrive, you want to talk about what you see. And what did the mariners see and the settlers see when they arrived in America? They saw new plants, new animals. They saw Indians with behavior that they'd never seen before, with new clothes, new costumes, new shoes. And so words started to come in like moccasin and wigwam and squall and skunk. And they would write these words in their letters back home. So suddenly, in British English, these letters were coming through with American English in just a few days after these guys had arrived in America. So that's how long it takes for a new variety of English to grow. And as you look around the modern English world and you see English developing in places like, well, you know, everywhere. Now, everywhere, all countries in the world have English either as a first language or a second language or a privileged foreign language. And it doesn't take long for these countries to take the English that wherever it's come from, Britain perhaps, or from America, or from Australia, and then start to adapt it to make it their own. And how do you see this adaptation taking place? Chiefly in the vocabulary. So it doesn't take long if you take a dictionary like the dictionary of South African English, for instance. There are 10,000 words in that dictionary that are only used in South Africa, you see, or perhaps just around South Africa, Africa, like Zimbabwe and so on. So if you read South African English every now and then, you come across a word and you have no idea what it means because you don't know the cultural background. I told a story in the lecture of my first visit to South Africa driving along the road, British Council driver there, and I see a sign ahead and it says robot ahead. And I go, what? And I turn to the driver, I say, robot ahead. And he turns to me and says in a lovely South African accent, of course it's a robot. And I say, what's a robot? He says, you don't know what a robot is? I say no, I don't know what a robot is. Have they landed or something? Uh, no, no, no. A robot is—anybody know a robot is a traffic light in South African English, that's all. And so when you're in South Africa, you will hear people saying sentences like, turn left at the robot, or the robot is broken, or you'll find the shop three robots ahead. And now you know, you can interpret it. But the first time you hear it, you go, what? Like that. Now think, 10,000 words like that in South African English. Not all from British English, of course. Robot comes from British English, well, check originally, of course. But there are words from Africans and words from Zulu, words from Khoi, and all the other languages of South Africa. So what happens when English goes to a new part of the world is income the loan words, the borrowed words from the other languages around that make that English difficult for a foreigner to understand. Now, I am the foreigner here, not just you. You see, there's no difference between me and you in this respect. If you go to South Africa, you don't understand some of the language, you think, oh, I'm a foreigner, I'm not a native speaker of English. Don't think like that. I go to South Africa, I don't understand the language, and I'm a native speaker of English. You see, there's no difference between me and you when it comes to going to different parts of the world and encountering these new varieties of English. And everywhere, this is the point, you have to pick up on. Everywhere in every country in the world, there is a new variety of English growing which is culturally influenced. And it's happening here in Serbia, you see. You think Serbian English? What could that be? Well, I'll tell you what Serbian English is. It's the English you use when you talk to me about Serbia, and I don't understand what you're talking about because I don't understand what is happening in Serbia. Let me give some examples the other way around. Let me give you some examples of how I will use culturally specific British English, and you may or may not understand it. So if I come out of the room now over there and say, oh, terrible, it was like Clapham Junction in there. What on earth do I mean? It was like Clapham Junction in there. Very common expression, but unless you know what Clapham Junction is, you've no idea. You understand my grammar, you understand the vocabulary pretty well except the name, you understand the pronunciation. But if you don't know what Clapham Junction is, you can't understand the sentence. And I tell you, Clapham Junction is the name of a railway station in the south of London. It's the most chaotic railway station in Britain because it has more railway platforms than anywhere else, and the railway lines come all over the place. And if you ever go to Clapham Junction, you will get lost. You will miss your train probably because you won't find the right platform. So it has become an idiom meaning it was chaos in there, it was terribly busy. So you come out of a room and you say it.

no, such, word, you, know, English, does, not have, a, plural, oh, yes, it, does, English, is is, very, definitely, around, and, that, word came, into, being, about, 10, or, 15, years, ago really, um, to, reflect, the, reality, of, what

happens, when, English, becomes, a, global language, because, what, does, happen, you know, as, a, country, takes, up, the, English language, and, adopts, it, it, immediately adapts, it, to, suit, its, circumstances because, what, is, language, for, language exists, in, order, for, us, to, talk, about

what, we, want, to, talk, about, so, what, do you, want, to, talk, about, well, anything, I suppose, the, whole, world, but, you especially, want, to, talk, about, what's happening, in, Serbia, or, whoever's watching, this, your, country, and, therefore

you, want, to, have, an, English, that actually, reflects, your, local, interests your, history, the, things, that, happen around, you, all, the, things, that, you, would naturally, do, in, your, own, language, if you're, learning, another, language, as, an international, language, then, you, want, to

be, able, to, talk, in, that, language, as, well and, so, what, is, happening, in, English, as it, goes, around, the, world, becomes, Global is, that, the, different, countries, that have, adopted, it, immediately, start, to make, it, their, own, they, start, to, shape, it

and, push, it, in, a, direction, it, never, was in, before, now, this, has, happened, ever since, English, began, so, take, 400, years ago, or, so, when, the, first, people, arrived in, America, and, you, know, we're, talking 16006, that's, the, sort, of, period, and, they

settle, on, the, Eastern, seab, Board, of America, you, get, the, beginnings, of Virginia, and, the, result, is, American English, eventually, but, how, long, do, you think, it, takes, for, an, American, English to, develop, are, you, thinking, decades, or

hundreds, of, years, it, only, takes, weeks for, a, new, variety, of, English, to, start, to grow, because, as, soon, as, you, arrive, you want, to, talk, about, what, you, see, and, what did, the, Mariners, see, and, the, settlers

see, when, they, arrived, in, America, they saw, new, plants, new, animals, they, saw, uh Indians, with, behavior, that, they'd, never seen, before, with, new, clothes, uh, new costumes, new, new, shoes, and, so, words started, to, come, in, like

moccasin, and Wigwam, and Squall, and skunk, and, they, would, write, these, words in, their, letters, back, home, so, suddenly in, British, English, these, letters, were coming, through, with, American, English, in just, a, few, days, after, these, guys, had

arrived, in, America, so, that's, how, long, it takes, for, a, new, variety, of, English, to grow, and, as, you, look, around, the, Modern English, world, and, you, see, English developing, in, places, like, well, you, know everywhere, Now, everywhere, all, countries

in, the, world, have, English, either, as, a first, language, or, a, second, language, or, a privileged, foreign, language, and, it doesn't, take, long, for, these, countries, to take, the, English, that, wherever, it's, come from, Britain, perhaps, or, from, America, or

from, Australia, and, then, start, to, adapt it, to, make, it, their, own, and, how, do, you see, this, adaptation, taking, place, chiefly in, the, vocabulary, so, it, doesn't, take long, if, you, take, a, dictionary, like, the dictionary, of, South, African, English, for

instance, there, are, 10,000, words, in, that dictionary, that, are, only, used, in, South Africa, you, see, or, perhaps, just, around South, Africa, afca, like, Zimbabwe, and, so on, so, if, you, read, South, African, English every, now, and, then, you, come, across, a

word, and, you, have, no, idea, what, it, means because, you, don't, know, the, cultural background, I, told, a, story, in, the, lecture of, my, first, visit, to, South, Africa driving, along, the, road, British, Council driver, there, and, I, see, a, sign, ahead, and

it, says, robot ahead, and, I, go, what, and, I, turn, to, the driver, I, say, robot, ahead, and, he, turns, to me, and, says, in, a, lovely, South, African accent, of, course, it's, a, robot, and, I, say what's, a, robot, he, says, you, don't, know

what, a, robot, is, I, say, no, I, don't, know what, a, robot, is, have, they, landed, or something, uh, no, no, no, a, robot, is, anybody know, a, robot, is, a, traffic light, in, South, African, English, that's all, and, so, when, you're, in, South, Africa

you, will, hear, people, saying, sentences, is like, turn, left, at, the, robot, or, the, robot is, broken, or, you'll, find, the, shop, three robots ahead, and, now, you, know, you, can, interpret it, but, the, first, time, you, hear, it, you, go

what, like, that, now, think, 10,000, words like, that, in, South, African, English, not all, from, British, English, of, course, robot comes, from, British, English, well, check originally, of, course, but, there, are, words from, Africans, and, words, from, Zulu, words

from, Co, and, all, the, other, languages, of South, Africa, so, what, happens, when English, goes, to, a, new, part, of, the, world is, income, the, the, loan, words, The Borrowed, words, from, the, other, languages around, that, make, that, English, difficult

for, a, foreigner, to, understand, now, I, am the, Foreigner, here, not, just, you, you, see there's, no, difference, between, me, and, you in, this, respect, if, you, go, to, South Africa, you, don't, understand, some, of, the language, you, think, oh, I'm, a, foreigner

I'm, not, a, native, speaker, of, English don't, think, like, like, that, I, go, to, South Africa, I, don't, understand, the, language and, I'm, a, native, speaker, of, English, you see, there's, no, difference, between, me, and you, when, it, comes, to, going, to, different

parts, of, the, world, and, encountering these, new, varieties, of, English, and everywhere, this, is, the, point, you, have, to pick, up, on, everywhere, in, every, country in, the, world, there, is, a, new, variety, of English, gr, growing, which, is

culturally influenced, and, it's, happening, here, in Serbia, you, see, you, think, Serbian, English what, could, that, be, well, what's, I'll, tell you, what, Serbian, English, is, it's, the English, you, use, when, you, talk, to, me about, Serbia, and, I, don't, understand, what

you're, talking, about, because, I, don't understand, what, is, happening, in, Serbia let, me, give, some, examples, the, other, way around, let, me, give, you, some, examples, of how, I, will, use, culturally, specific British, English, and, you, may, or, may, not

understand, it, so, if, I, come, out, of, the room, now, over, there, and, say, oh, terrible it, was, like, Clapham, Junction, in, there what, on, Earth, do, I, mean, it, was, like Clapham, Junction, in, there, very, common expression, but, unless, you, know, what

Clapham, Junction, is, you've, no, idea, you understand, my, grammar, you, understand, the vocabulary, pretty, well, except, the, name you, understand, the, pronunciation, but, if you, don't, know, what, Clapham, Junction, is you, can't, understand, the, sentence, and, I tell, you, Clapham, Junction, is, the, name, of

a, railway, station, in, the, south, of, London it's, the, most, chaotic, railway, station, in Britain, because, it, has, more, Railway platforms, than, anywhere, else, and, the railway, lines, come, all, over, the, place and, if, you, ever, go, to, Clapham, Junction

you, will, get, lost, you, will, miss, your train, probably, because, you, won't, find the, right, platform, so, it, has, become, an idiom, meaning, it, was, chaos, in, there, it was, terribly, busy, so, you, come, out, of, a room, and, you, say, it, was, like, Clapham

Junction, in, there, all, right, that's British, England, English, what, is, how would, you, translate, that, into, Serbian you, see, what, is, the equivalent, it, was, chaos, is, there, such, an expression, maybe, you, are, never, chaotic in, Serbia, you, don't, have, this, sort, of

problem, I, don't, know, but, the, thing, is, as I, go, around, the, world, I, increasingly find, people, talking, to, me, in, English, and using, Expressions, which, I, have, to, I, say sorry, I, don't, understand, what, you, mean because, they, just, slip, into, talking

about, oh, the, political, parties Serbia, just, like, I, might, say, you, know the, the Tories, the, labor, party, The, Independents and, so, on, and, I, know, what, I, mean, but, you only, know, what, I, mean, if, you, know, the

British, political, system, now, if, you start, talking, politics, here, I'm, going, to get, lost, very, very, quickly, you, will, have nicknames, for, your, prime, minister, I, have no, doubt, and, rude, ones, too, I, expect, um, I won't, know, what, they, are, if, you, drop

these, into, the, conversation, there, will be, parts, of, the, city, where, you, say, you shouldn't, go, there, because, it's dangerous, may, be, the, parts, of, a, city where, something, special, happens, if somebody, says, to, you, in, London, I'm, going

down, to Soho, what, is, he, saying, what's, what, is, it about, Soho, well, you, have, to, know, that Soho, is, the, traditional, sex, shop, area, in London, and, that's, why, he, said Soho, rather, than, Soho, see, if, you're, just

going, to, Soho, you're, just, going, there, if you're, going, to Soho, you're, going, for, a, different, reason you now, what, is, your Soho, maybe, you, haven't, got, one, I, see there, are, some, nods, around, the, room, so perhaps, you, have, you, see, what, I, mean

every, aspect, of, your, culture, myths, and legends, FAA, and, Flora, the, food, you, eat the, folklore, you, have, the, songs, the dances, the, politics, the institutions, talk, about, them, in, English and, there, will, be, a, Serbian, flavor, to, it

which, I, might, or, might, not, understand [Music]