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Cover of The Oxford Handbook of Southeast Asian Englishes

The Oxford Handbook of Southeast Asian Englishes

Written by Andrew J. Moody

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969 pages, about 19 hours of reading

Language Arts & Disciplines

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About this book

The Oxford Handbook of Southeast Asian Englishes is the first reference work of its kind to describe both the history and the contemporary forms, functions, and status of English in Southeast Asia (SEA). Since the arrival of English traders to Southeast Asia in the seventeenth century, the English language has had a profound impact on the linguistic ecologies and the development of societies throughout the region. Today, countries such as Singapore and the Philippines have adopted English as a national language, while in others, such as Indonesia and Cambodia, it is used as a foreign language of education. The chapters in this volume provide a comprehensive overview of current research on a wide range of topics, addressing the impact of English as a language of globalization and exploring new approaches to the spread of English in SEA. The volume is divided into six parts that investigate, respectively: historical and contemporary English contact in SEA; the structures of the Englishes spokes in different SEA nations; the English-language literatures of the region; approaches to English in education throughout the region; and resources for researching SEA Englishes. The handbook will be an invaluable reference work for students and researchers in areas as diverse as contact linguistics, English as a Foreign Language, world Englishes, and sociolinguistics.

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Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in The Oxford Handbook of Southeast Asian Englishes, written by Chaptra AI.

  • about 40 hours
  • advanced
  • academic
  • informative
  • analytical

The Oxford Handbook of Southeast Asian Englishes, edited by Andrew J. Moody, is a definitive academic reference work that offers an expansive and in-depth exploration of the diverse linguistic landscapes of English across various Southeast Asian nations. It systematically surveys the historical development, sociolinguistic realities, structural features, and functional uses of English in the region. The handbook brings together contributions from leading scholars, providing a comprehensive overview of the field, from language policy and education to literary expressions and identity formation, making it an essential resource for researchers and students of World Englishes and Asian linguistics.

“"Southeast Asian Englishes are not merely deviations from a native speaker norm, but rather robust, dynamic, and fully functional linguistic systems with their own internal coherence and sociocultural significance."”

Key themes

Linguistic Diversity and Variation
This theme explores how English has diversified and adapted within Southeast Asia, leading to distinct regional and national varieties. It examines phonological, lexical, grammatical, and pragmatic variations from exonormative standards, highlighting the internal coherence and systematicity of these 'new Englishes' and challenging monolithic views of the language.
Language Contact and Multilingualism
This theme investigates the profound impact of indigenous languages and other contact languages on the development of Southeast Asian Englishes. It examines phenomena like code-switching, translanguaging, and the transfer of linguistic features from local languages into English, reflecting the highly multilingual contexts in which these Englishes thrive.
Language Policy and Education
This theme investigates the formal and informal policies governing the use and teaching of English in Southeast Asian nations. It examines governmental decisions regarding English as a medium of instruction, its status as an official or working language, and the challenges of implementing effective English language education in diverse linguistic environments, often balancing global aspirations with local realities.

Worth discussing

How does the concept of 'World Englishes' challenge traditional notions of linguistic 'correctness' and 'native speaker' norms, as exemplified by Southeast Asian Englishes?

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