Re-positioning accent attitude in the Global Englishes paradigm: a critical phenomenological case study in the Chinese context

Abstract

English varieties have long been researched in the field of sociolinguistics. In recent decades, globalisation has motivated researchers to focus more on Global Englishes (GE) (Rose & Galloway, 2019). GE is an inclusive paradigm that focuses on the diversity and fluidity of English use and English users against the backdrop of globalisation (Rose & Galloway, 2019). The number of English learners in China has reached approximately 400 million (Wei & Su, 2015), which plays a critical part in the globalised use of English. As a result, Dr Fan Fang adopts the GE paradigm to explore the Chinese context from a critical phenomenological perspective, which is a reflective way to revisit accent attitude to break rigid monolithic views of ‘English’. The opening chapter of this book first describes the current situation of English language teaching, the mainstream of which conforms to ‘native speaker’ varieties and fixed standards. Most English learners are not aware of the diversity and fluidity of English as a global language. Therefore, such a dilemma calls for transformation in English language teaching to fulfil the various purposes of English learners, such as achieving good intercultural communication and improving one’s economic future. The book then proceeds to GE theory and distinguishes GE from some parallel concepts like World Englishes (WE), English as a lingua franca (ELF) and translanguaging. The concept of ELF is in essence similar to English as an international language. ELF emphasises the communicative effectiveness among people of different mother tongues rather than a particular English variety with codifiable linguistic features. However, some scholars criticise it for neglecting the multiplicity of English (Phillipson, 2008). The WE paradigm is also criticised for its ignorance of the differences among English users within each concentric circle, given that all English varieties are categorised into three concentric circles based on the nations (Jenkins, 2006; Kachru, 1992). Rose and Galloway (2019) claim that GE is an umbrella term, a more inclusive one that can integrate the aforementioned concepts to avoid limiting GE research to specific models, regions or English user groups. This term has the features of continuity and integration, bringing the theory of global use of English into a new phase. In Chapter 2, different language ideologies relevant to English are discussed, since these language ideologies influence people’s attitudes towards the English language and their identity construction. An overview of language ideologies in relation to the diversified use of English is provided, including standard English, WE, ELF and translanguaging theory. The author is sympathetic to the sociocultural and sociolinguistic aspects of language, which is of great importance to understand various language ideologies. In Chapter 3, the author concentrates on the Chinese context. From reviewing English language use in China, the chapter moves on to the ‘China English’ (CE)