View
103
Download
8
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
GLOBAL ENGLISH
Jurgen van Raak
ABOUT ME
Teacher of English @ Rotterdam University of
Applied Science
Research into internationalisation
Experience: teaching & travelling abroad
http://www.slideshare.net/jurgenvanraak
GLOBAL English
Is NOT: superficial English!
Is: about awareness (and whenpossible agreement) about the English language, its speakers around the world and all the pitfallswe could step into…
WHY TEACH English?
Because it is the native language in:
England?
(Northern) Ireland?
Scotland?
Wales?
U.S.A?
Canada?
Australia?
New Zealand?
South Africa?
Jamaica?
PITFALL
“We teach English so that students are able to
communicate with native speakers”
FACT
Around 375 million people speak English as
their second language all over the world
About 750 million people speak English as a
foreign language
Approximately 80% of all websites
are in English
IN FACT, English is…
one of the most spoken languages in the world
and by far the most common
one of the ‘largest’ languages by number of
native speakers, after Mandarin, Chinese,
Hindi and Spanish
the most commonly spoken language in the
world, combining native and non-native
speakers
IN FACT, English is…
spoken on every continent
the second language in more than forty
countries with ties to England: from India and
Pakistan to the countries of the South Pacific
and many African states
currently the language most often taught as a
foreign language.
SO…
Around the world, English isn’t identical to the
way it is spoken in England.
Language evolves when spoken by different
people in different places. And it changes more
rapidly when millions of people use it for
working and travelling like today
GLOBAL English
More and more non-native English speakers
use the language to communicate with fellow
non-natives.
French speakers often find it easier to speak
English to Finns - and Greeks to Guatemalans
and Hungarians to Hondurans, and so on -
than to native English speakers.
from: Voertaal English – Ronald van de Krol
GLOBAL English
Native English speakers tend to mumble and
to slur over letters, syllables or entire words
They use slang and jargon
And… they assume everybody speaks English
so well that they needn’t bother to slow down
to check whether the poor non-native speaker
is able to follow what they are saying
from: Voertaal English – Ronald van de Krol
PITFALLS
1. Pronunciation (from ‘to pronounce’;-) vs.Spelling
Receive
People
Phoebe
Jeans
Piece
Deep
Be
/i:/
PITFALLS
Pronunciation vs. Spelling,
continued
Jeans vs. Sweater
Receive vs. Veil
Veil vs. Veal
PITFALLS
2. British English vs. American English
Labour Labor
JudgementJudgment
Organise Organize
ProgrammeProgram
Traveler Traveller
Grey Gray
Same meaning,
different spelling
= more options!-)
PITFALLS
British English vs. American English, continued
cookie-biscuit center-centre movie-film
pants-trousers fall-autumn beach-
seaside
color-colour candy-sweet vacation-
holiday
apartment-flat eraser-rubber french fries-chips
kid-child store-shop elevator-lift
Same meaning, different word = still more options!-)
PITFALLS
British English vs. American English, it gets
worse..
Mate: Friend Partner
Mad: Crazy
Angry
Rubber: Eraser
Condom
PITFALLS
3. Dunglish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEfZKQ0YCEw&feature=related
PITFALLS
4. Spanglish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppJDiSai2Pg
Googlear/gugulear = to
El mouse = the computer
mouse
PITFALLS
5. Indianglish
PITFALLS
6. Culture
When speaking English in an international
context culture should never be
underestimated! Customs, habits, dos and
taboos…...
Meaning of ”YES” Ford Pinto
PITFALLS
Culture pt. 2
Successful European billboard campaign. Failure in Middle
East!
TIPS
Avoid miscommunication: be specific
Use structure (in reports, articles,
presentations)
Use short, simple sentences
Don’t take culture for granted: prepare
Be aware of 4 language skills: 2 active, 2
passive
CONCLUSION
Using Global English means being aware of
the pitfalls, working with the solutions and
avoiding miscommunication
When possible/necessary: cooperate, learn
from eachother’s strenghts, cover your
weaknesses?
THANKS!