Research in World Englishes and International Communication

It is now accepted that English is not represented by a ‘single monochrome standard form’ (Quirk 1985: 6), but rather comprises an increasingly diverse range of varieties which fulfil different functions and roles for different peoples in different contexts. These varieties of English are often referred to as a field of study or discipline under the name of World Englishes. In this chapter, I shall give a brief review of how and why the field of World Englishes developed and then consider some of the developments the field has seen in recent years, along with an account of the debates and issues scholars are currently addressing. The chapter will conclude with a discussion of potential future directions for research in the field of World Englishes.No Full Tex