The document discusses Standard English, defining it as the variety of English normally used in writing and associated with education. It is not a language, accent, style, or register in itself. Standard English is a social dialect distinguished from other dialects by its grammatical forms. The document also discusses linguistic differences between standard and non-standard dialects, as well as how Standard English is taught in the UK National Curriculum.
2. Standard*
2
standardised language
refers to a language which has one variety which has undergone
standardisation.
standardisation
the processes of language determination, codification and
stabilisation.
Language determination “refers to decisions which have to be taken
concerning the selection of particular languages or varieties of
language for particular purposes in the society or nation in question”
(p.71).
Codification is the process whereby a language variety “acquires a
publicly recognised and fixed form”. The results of codification “are
usually enshrined in dictionaries and grammar books” (p.17)
Stabilisation is a process whereby a formerly diffuse variety (in the
sense of Le Page and Tabouret-Keller,1985) “undergoes focussing and
takes on a more fixed and stable form” (p.70).
3. Standard English is not
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a language
it is only one variety of English among many
it is the variety normally used in writing, especially printing
it is the variety associated with the education system in all the English-
speaking countries of the world
it is the variety generally spoken by those who are often referred to as
“educated people”
it is the variety taught to non-native learners
an accent
RP is a standardised accent of English and not Standard English –
RP is a purely social accent associated with speakers from upper-class
and upper-middle-class backgrounds from all parts of the country
Approx. 9%-12% of the population of Britain speak Standard English
with some form of regional accent
Standard English is an international variety; standardised RP is not
4. Standard English is not
4
a style
Styles are varieties of language which can be ranged on a
continuum from very formal to very informal
individuals use a variety of styles according to context
an individual‟s repertoire of styles depend on experience and
education
compare
Father was exceedingly fatigued subsequent to his extensive
peregrination.
Dad was very tired after his lengthy journey.
The old man was bloody knackered after his long trip.
Father were very tired after his lengthy journey.
5. Standard English is not
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a register
a variety of language determined by topic, subject matter or
activity, such as the register of mathematics, the register of
medicine, or the register of pigeon fancying
constituted by lexical choice
syntactic choice (e.g. law)
academic, technical, scientific registers are taught in school
is there such a thing as „standard vocabulary‟?
6. Standard English is
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a dialect/a sub-variety of English
but an unusual dialect
There is really no continuum linking Standard English to other
dialects
It is a purely social dialect – it has lost its geographical anchor
Scottish Standard English, American Standard English, English
Standard English
It has native speakers – constituting about 12%-15% of the
population concentrated at the top of the social scale
7. Standard English is
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a social dialect which is distinguished from other
dialects of the language by its grammatical forms
but not a set of prescriptive rules
I’ve bought a new car which I’m very pleased with.
It’s me.
He is taller than me.
8. Linguistic difference
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standard non-standard
I did it I done it
Come quickly! Come quick!
… the books that I … the book what I bought
bought …
… those books …
… them books …
I didn‟t break it.
I never broke it.
I didn‟t break anything
We started first, didn‟t I didn‟t break nothing.
we? We started first, isn‟t it?
9. Linguistic change
9
Compare
He is bigger than me/He is bigger than I
He is bigger than what I am
You haven’t got any money, do you?
You don’t got any money, do you?
There was this man, and he’d got this gun... etc.
There was a man, and he’d got a gun... etc.
10. Education
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English is unusual in that:
it is the world‟s „lingua franca‟, used by perhaps 300 million L2
speakers
it is the only language whose L2 speakers and learners far
outnumber its native speakers
it‟s an industry
11. The National Curriculum
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the canon of literature that schools are expected to
teach
the teaching of grammar
prescriptive grammar teaching
no grammar teaching
descriptive grammar teaching
12. The National Curriculum
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Age 5-7:
"Pupils should be introduced to some of the main features of
spoken standard English and be taught to use them.“
When teaching standard English it is helpful to bear in mind
the most common non-standard usages in England:
subject-verb agreement (they was)
formation of past tense (have fell [sic], I done)
13. The National Curriculum
13
Age 7-11:
"Pupils should be taught the grammatical constructions that
are characteristic of spoken standard English and to apply
this knowledge appropriately in a range of contexts.“
"Pupils should be taught:
how written standard English varies in degrees of formality
[for example, differences between a letter to a friend about a
school trip and a report for display],
some of the differences between standard and non-standard
English usage, including subject-verb agreement and use of
prepositions."
14. The National Curriculum
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Age 11-16:
"To speak fluently and appropriately in different contexts,
adapting their talk for a range of purposes and audiences,
including the more formal, pupils should be taught to:
.... use spoken standard English fluently in different contexts
...
"Pupils should be taught to use the vocabulary, structures [sic]
and grammar of spoken standard English fluently and
accurately in informal and formal situations."
