Hybrid Englishes: An exploratory survey

Abstract

One of the most striking findings when comparing the ecologies of world Englishes is the amount of language mixing and the number of truly mixed (hybrid) varieties involving Englishes. The formula X [language name] + English has produced blends in many different countries, like Taglish, Singlish, Hinglish, Chinglish, Japlish, Denglisch, Finglish, etc. Others include ‘mix‐mix’ in Hong Kong, Sheng in Kenya, or Camfranglais in Cameroon, or lack a commonly accepted designation (in Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa, and so on). This article offers a systematic but exploratory survey of varieties, linguistic practices and contexts which tend to be viewed in isolation but show similarities in some of their properties and sociolinguistic settings.

Teaching English through pedagogical translanguaging

“…Even if there are different approaches that are often related to the social contexts and the complexities of multilingualism, translanguaging implies that languages should not be taught as separate entities but in interrelationship with the learner's existing language features and practices (Cenoz & Gorter, 2011, 2015; May, 2014; Moore & Gajo, 2009). Schneider (2016) says that translanguaging so far has mainly been discussed in theoretical and ideological terms. In this section we are going to focus on pedagogical translanguaging which can be understood as ‘planned by the teacher inside the classroom and can refer to the use of different languages for input and output or to other planned strategies based on the use of students’ (Cenoz, 2017, p. 194).…”

When Englishes go digital

“…Such varieties are widespread in many countries and involve many different languages in contact; they have emerged independently of each other, but are nevertheless somehow comparable, both with respect to their sociolinguistic settings and in terms of some abstract linguistic properties. (Schneider, , p. 341)…”

“…Hybrid varieties include such linguistic expressions as Spanglish, Singlish, Manglish, and so forth. Some of the terms are used pejoratively, as is the case with Franglais, used primarily to express the (unwelcome) presence of Anglicanisms in French though not in Canada (Schneider, , p. 35), but many as simply descriptive of the kind of mixing of codes that leads to varieties that are functional, influenced by local identities, and able to perform important roles in the physical and digital worlds.…”

“…In that sense, the model has stayed relevant and appropriate, and it is up to us, students of these new varieties, digital ones more prominently, to make this distinction between the big-picture, bird's-eye-view of the historical development Schneider (2016) surveys the presence and use around the world of hybrid varieties involving English, explaining that while awareness of the influence of one language over another is more recent, the actual effect of contact has been felt throughout history. When I teach the history of the English language, I often refer to the fallacy in references to 'the purity of the English language,' especially among prescriptivists, highlighting how hybrid this language itself has been from its beginning.…”

“…Schneider () surveys the presence and use around the world of hybrid varieties involving English, explaining that while awareness of the influence of one language over another is more recent, the actual effect of contact has been felt throughout history. When I teach the history of the English language, I often refer to the fallacy in references to ‘the purity of the English language,’ especially among prescriptivists, highlighting how hybrid this language itself has been from its beginning.…”