Andrew Sewell

World Englishes, English as a Lingua Franca, and the case of Hong Kong English

Perspectives from both World Englishes (WE) and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) can assist in the description of Hong Kong English phonology. Mario Saracenis article ( English Today 94) provides some useful insights into the current debates about English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). His discussion of the background to this debate identifies three viewpoints: a traditional ENL view with its adherence to native-speaker models; the WE (World Englishes) paradigm with its ‘pluralised and pluricentric view of English in the world’; and the emerging ELF position, with its rejection of native-speaker norms in favour of ‘endonormative realisations of lingua franca varieties’ (Alessa Cogo, English Today 95). However, Cogo believes that the second and third positions are not separate paradigms, and that ELF sits ‘comfortably within a WE framework’, as claimed by Jenkins (2007:17). In this article, I would like to show how the two positions can work together to inform pedagogy by exploring the possible options for English pronunciation models in Hong Kong.

Language Testing and International Intelligibility: A Hong Kong Case Study

A central issue in language testing is the choice of norms, and the need to reconcile notions of “standard” English with local language norms and features. Data from studies of international intelligibility indicate that some features of “standard” language descriptions, based on native-speaker language use, are not essential for successful communication. A specific question in test design is thus the extent to which descriptors and rater decisions reflect native-speaker, as opposed to local, language norms. This article takes a case study approach by focusing on a speaking test used in Hong Kong. It analyses published examiner comments from 12 examination sessions between 2003 and 2011 and compares them with criteria for international intelligibility. It also analyses the distribution of the comments among various segmental and suprasegmental phonological categories and relates this to intelligibility research and to theoretical considerations. The study critically evaluates the concept of “intelligibility” and considers its relevance for language testing, and revisits certain aspects of the “local norms” debate. The findings of the study suggest that what examiners notice is generally also what is important for international intelligibility, although the importance of certain suprasegmental features is questionable from an intelligibility standpoint.

Phonological features of China English

Abstract This article builds on previous studies of China English by investigating the use of a number of phonological features by twelve students from mainland China. The students were studying at a university in Hong Kong, and came from different regions of China. They were recorded reading a standardized passage and certain aspects of feature use were analyzed. Patterns of variation in some of the features identified in previous studies, such as the substitution of the palato-alveolar fricative /ʒ/, are confirmed as being related to the regional origin of the students. The study also describes some features that have received less attention in previous studies, such as diphthong shortening and the simplification of final consonant clusters. The possible influence of British and American English on some aspects of the students’ pronunciation is also briefly considered. Although some knowledge of these features is believed to be useful for educators, the article outlines some of the drawbacks that may result from the premature association of such features with so-called “emergent varieties” of English.