Varieties of English

- World Englishes (WE) stands for the localized varieties of English as they are used or spoken in
certain areas.

“Three Concentric Circles of Asian Englishes”

- Braj Kachru
English as a
foreign
language

English as
second
language

(Post- colonial
effect)
English as a
native
language
“It is then to be understood that people have different linguistic and cultural
backgrounds making intercultural communication a significant variable in
communication.”

- With respect to lexicon, vocabulary words peculiar only to some English

varieties in Southeast Asia can be noted as seen in following examples.
Singapore English Standard English

actsy show off

missy nurse

chop rubber stamp

Marina kids youngsters who spend their

leisure time at or around Marina
Square which is a shopping center

graduate mothers well educated married women

non graduate mothers

Philippine English Standard English

deep puristic or hard to understand

stick cigarette

high blood tense or upset

 blow out treating someone with a snack or
a meal

promdi from the province

balikbayan box

Malaysian English Standard English

antilog a male hated by a girl

popcorn a loquacious

kachang peanuts or easy