June, 2006 Vol.55 No.3
English is the most used language for international communication. English as a “lingua franca”- world English - is different from world Englishes. What are the differences? Who is Dr. Braj Kachru and what is so important about his “three circles”? What circle is Japan in? What important event is happening at Chukyo University in Nagoya in October? Read on!
Robert: Mayuka, last issue we left off with me mentioning the inner circle. The inner circle is part of the three circle model proposed by Dr. Braj Kachru to group the world’s English speakers.
Mayuka: I’ve heard of him. He’s one of the early proponents of world Englishes right?
Robert: Yes. In his three circle model, the inner circle is comprised of countries or areas where English is spoken as the primary language such as England, The United States, Canada, Australia, and Ireland to name a few. The next circle is called the outer or extended circle where English is used by the government and schools but plays more of a “second language” role such as in Singapore. The last and largest circle is the expanding circle where English is taught as a “foreign language” mainly to facilitate international communication. Japan belongs to the expanding circle.
Mayuka: Last time, we were talking about Japanese pronunciation on both the part of the teacher and the student. What is the world Englishes view on that? World Englishes accepts the different varieties of English as it is spoken around the world as valid and not deviant each with its own status and function, right? Does that mean that any pronunciation is fine?
Robert: Well, that is a tough question. To help out, I have asked Mathew White to join us. Mat was one of the first professors to teach in the World Englishes faculty at Chukyo University in Nagoya. Mat, thanks for joining us.
Mat: Hi, Robert. Hi, Mayuka. I am always happy to share and learn especially about this exciting topic of World Englishes.
Robert: Well, first question of the day, what is the acceptable level of pronunciation for world Englishes?
Mat: Good question. It depends on who your interlocutors are. It is basically at what level your listeners are able to understand you. For example, Japanese speaking to other Japanese could speak with “katakana pronunciation” because the other person is Japanese and could understand them, whereas, if the listener did not understand Japanese they would have to switch their pronunciation to fit that person’s level of understanding.
Mayuka: My understanding of part of the definition of world Englishes is that English is a communication tool between people whose mother tongue is not necessarily English so their English does not have to be super accurate but be communicative. Is that right?
Mat: Well, on the whole you are correct; however, native-speaker English is also included in World Englishes. Each variety including inner circle varieties has its own status and function. Depending on what the function is, the importance of accuracy will be different. Also, depending on the situation, code switching to aid with meaning may be acceptable. This often happens in multi-lingual societies. However, if you are speaking with someone who is monolingual, they are going to feel uncomfortable if code switching is happening.
Mayuka:
Yeah, that is one of my own problems, since Robert understands Japanese and English and I understand English and Japanese, our conversation can be a mixture of English and Japanese, but it is communicative, right. Whereas, when I am attending meetings with our overseas clients who don’t speak Japanese, I really have to consciously choose which words to use. Basically, at home I am in an outer or extended circle situation even though I live in an expanding circle country.
Mat: The function of the communication that you and Robert have is different from the communication you have with a client. So matching the medium to the situation is important.
Robert: Just so we are on the same page, I would like to restate our working definition of world English and world Englishes. World English is used to talk about English as a lingua franca. World Englishes is stating that we accept the varieties of English spoken around the world, that they have status in their own right, and are not deviants from a “normal” English.
Mat: Yeah, there is a big difference. Without the “es” it is English as a lingua franca and people look towards Britain and the US for inner circle models which they should try to emulate.
Robert: Yes, and having said that, the concept of World Englishes in Japan has not been accepted by many people even at the inner circle level. There was that recent editorial article in the newspaper where protests were made against having teachers from Australia in the elementary school classroom because the children would not learn “real” or “pure” “standard English”.
Mayuka: So what does World Englishes mean in practical terms for the classroom?
Robert: That sounds like the next topic.
Notes and Comments
* three circles
World Englishesの立場では、英語がどういう状況で存在するかによって、その環境を3つに分けて考えます。まず、英語が第一言語として存在し、主に英語で生活している環境（inner circle）。次に、英語は生活上での第一言語ではないけれど、公式な言語として存在する環境（outer or extended circle）。そして、生活上では英語の必要性はなく、外国語として外国（の人）とのコミュニケーション言語として存在する環境（expanding circle）。こういった環境の違いによって英語が果たす役割が違ってくることを踏まえた上で、では、何を基準として“正当な英語”と呼ぶのかを考えます。
* code switching
多言語を使うことができる人は、相手によってその場でのコミュニケーション言語を使い分けます。たとえばこれがcode switchingです。京都で生まれて育った私の子どもたちは、東京の学校の友達とは関東弁で話をしているようです。ところが、そこに私が通りかかると、私に対しては完全に関西弁で話しかけてきます。これもcode switchingですね。
言語は、コミュニケーションのために存在します。ですから、言語に関して何が正しいかを考えるときには、それが英語として正しいかどうかというよりも、その場でのコミュニケーションの道具として役に立っているかどうかのほうが大切です。たとえば、私が夫と話をするときには、“Call me on my KEITAI later.”ということが良くあります。ここでは、お互いに“KEITAI”が何かわかっているので、“cell phone”とか“mobile phone”という“正しい”英語を使わなくてもコミュニケーションできるからです。（ほかにも、“SHOGAKKO” “OBENTO” “CHIKATETSU”などなど、英語での会話の中で良く使ってます。）このように、私の日常は日本語単語混じり英語でのコミュニケーションが成り立っています。ところが、先日デンマークに電話をしたときに留守電に残すメッセージでうっかりとこれをやってしまい、あわてて“I mean, my mobile phone.”といいなおしながら、code switchingの必要性を実感しました。（笑）
* World English vs. World Englishes
World Englishと単数で呼ぶものと、World Englishesと複数で呼ぶものは、まったく意味が違います。単数の場合には、異言語を母語とする人たちがコミュニケーションする場においての共通語としての英語を意味します。それに対して複数形の場合には、いろいろな英語、つまりたとえばピジン英語と呼ばれている英語（もともとその国での母国語の強い影響を受けて変化し、その状態で使用されている英語のことで、いわゆる“本来の英語”と比べると、語法や文法に違いがある）なども含めて、世界中の色々なところで使われている英語をすべて“英語”として認めるという考え方をあらわします。
World Englishesについてもっと詳しくお知りになりたい方は、http://www.iaweworks.org/index.htmlをたずねてみてください。また、10月に名古屋の中京大学で開かれる大会についてはhttp://we.lets.chukyo-u.ac.jp/iawe2006へどうぞ。
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