Colonial Background and Linguistic Descriptions World Englishes Colonial Background and Linguistic Descriptions

Strands of British Expansion Self-determined Colonization: North America Forced Colonization: West Indies, Australia Missionary Colonization: New Zealand Trade Colonization: South Asia: British East India Company (India); Africa: British South Africa Company (South Africa; Zambia; Zimbabwe Competitive Colonization: Worldwide

Resulting National Varieties of English “National variety” means “local and regional varieties in a country” (p. 433). The develop because of Separation from “linguistic homeland” in space and time resulting in “linguistic conservatism”; Founder effects: features brought at the time of settlement; Language contact with immigrants from other language groups; Language contact with indigenous languages; New landforms require new vocabulary.

North American Colonization Begins with Roanoke (1584), the “lost colony” 1607: Jamestown Purposes: Exploitation of natural resources (timber, tobacco); markets; pressure valve for religious discord Southern colonists (to Bermuda) from “West Country” Northern from Eastern England Ulster Scots and Irish begin immigration in 1700s Canada welcomes Scots to “Nova Scotia”

Linguistic Conservatism in North American English NAE is rhotic, preserves [r] after a vowel, as in words like “card” and “car.” Listen to this man from Tangier Island (settled in 1684): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upKqzxuJ5L4 listen at 6:06. British English (Received pronunciation) lost [r] in these environments in the 18th century.

The Strange Case of [r] in New York City New York City, Boston, and many areas of the Southern US are non-rhotic, but this is actually an innovative feature, developed in imitation of British English. Listen to William Labov on [r] in New York: http://www.npr.org/1999/03/12/3602519/new-yawk-talk

Listening Exercise Listen to this conversation (or some portion of it) about dialect and accent from British Voices: http://sounds.bl.uk/Accents-and-dialects/BBC-Voices/021M-C1190X0036XX-0401V0 Do you hear any of the variations characteristic of British English (BE) from pp. 436-441. Make sure you listen to all three speakers.

Australia James Cook visits 1700 1788: Sydney penal colony established “First Fleet” brings 130,000 prisoners from London and Ireland London “Cockney” gains a toe-hold Irish include political prisoners as well after 1798 rebellion Includes Aboriginal vocabulary

New Zealand Cook mapped islands by 1770 Whalers and traders settle by 1790 Missionaries come in 1814 Official colony begins 1840 by treaty with Maori European immigration increases dramatically until 1900 Southeast Asian, Pacific, Hong Kong immigration

Dialect Comparisons Use the George Mason University Accent Archive to compare the dialects of four speakers from different countries: the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Jamaica. What are some of the phonological contrasts that you see? http://accent.gmu.edu/

South Africa Originally colonized by Dutch in 1652 British invade in 1795; control, 1806; colony established, 1820; English official, 1822 Gold/diamond rush, 1870s Black varieties of English develop in opposition to Afrikaans Indian immigration, 1860s Language of ANC, Nelson Mandela 1993, English one of 11 official languages

South Asia British East India Company establishes trading station in 1612 Competes with France for possession; Madras French colony 1765 takes over Bengal 1784 “Board of Control” takes over Universities in Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras, 1857 1858, Company abolished, control to the Crown British Raj lasts until 1947

West Indies Destination for slave trafficking Pidgin African dialects give way to Creoles based on French, Spanish, Portuguese, English Plantation-running colonists import prestige varieties of English West Indian colonists become important figures in America (e.g. Alexander Hamilton)

Listening Exercise Read along with John Agard as he reads “Listen Mr. Oxford Don” (p. 457): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywy-Tthdg7w Watch/listen to this project from York University in Canada about Jamaican Creole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpnWAIFLU9A