A corpus‐based investigation of world Englishes in literature. Issue 1 (21st June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: PERCILLIER, MICHAEL; PAULIN, CATHERINE
• Is Part Of: World Englishes. Volume 36:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 127
• Page End: 147
• Publication Date: 2016-06-21
• Subjects: English language -- Foreign countries -- Periodicals; English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers -- Periodicals; English language -- Variation -- Periodicals; Intercultural communication -- Periodicals; 428.2407
• DOI: 10.1111/weng.12208
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0883-2919

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Given the spread of English as a world language and the subsequent development of numerous varieties during the colonial and postcolonial periods, the emergence of local literatures using local varieties of English was only a matter of time. The sheer diversity of new Englishes, literary traditions and motivations to use the localised features in writing results in a wide range of strategies at the disposal of writers who choose to incorporate such features in their work. By compiling a corpus of selected literary works, an analysis of various distinctive features is performed, which makes it possible to address the following questions: Which localised features of English are represented in our corpus? What is the motivation to use a particular set of localised features? Is the representation of such linguistic variation in writing a symbolic or mimetic enterprise?