Standard and Non Standard English

1. Standard and Non Standard English

2. Standard English • Define: the English that with respect to spelling, grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary is substantially uniform though not devoid of regional differences, that is well established by usage in the formal and informal speech and writing of the educated, and that is widely recognized as acceptable wherever English is spoken and understood

3. Non standard English • Define: Any dialect of English other than Standard English. • A term used disapprovingly by some non-linguists to describe "bad" or "incorrect" English.

4. Obviously most of us have some sort of understanding about what standard and non standard forms of English are. • Challenge: Is this a true portrayal of society in terms of the existence of a standard English and if so where is it used?

5. 5 Main features of standard English • It’s what is considered to be POSH. A high sociolect. Thus it is associated with elite groups of people, wealthy, highly educated, affluence, articulate and whom have power over people. Essentially what David Crystal says is right in terms of this idea. It is used in the public sphere for political and power purposes and thus is deemed to be the standard variety.

6. 5 Main features of Standard English 2. It is recorded and codified. You will find these in dictionaries, grammar books, style guides. Essentially this is something you can see everyday in schools when you are marked on your grammar and spelling. It is essentially fuelling the Prescriptivism theory. • So people who prescribe to the idea that there is a correct way are able to use tangible evidence to support their claims.

7. 5 Main features of Standard English 3. It doesn’t have a home: You may think that that Great Britain will claim this idea of Standard variety however there are standard varieties throughout the world. 4. Its is easily recognisable. Most people write in Standard English however as David Crystal says around 5% of the world speaks the standard variety. 5. It can be spoken with any accent, but only pays attention to vocab, spelling and grammar.

8. What is challenging the standard?

9. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED • Again this notion of a standard English is quite foreign when we consider spoken language. • Spoken Language takes into account who we are as people and what we value. (as covered in sociolinguistics) • Values of egalitarianism and social democracy have seen those around the world have helped to develop a wider understood lexicon that challenges the notions of standard. • They do so through: colloquialisation, liberalisation of English and through e-communication.

10. E-communication Revolution • This revolution of e-communication has completely changed language in the past few years. • Shortening has gone to a whole new level, TOTES AWES, SUP, WAT UP, CRAY CRAY. • Acronyms are no longer just used for job titles, but to express a message, feeling, action or emotion. WTF, LMAO, YOLO, FML are probably the common ones you used. • The Hashtag has all of a sudden created a world wide platform in which you can communicate with people you don’t know. #omgidontwanttogotoschool #intsagram • The combination acronyms and Hashtags also add a layer. #FML #YOLO #IMAGOODBLOKE

11. Who we are and where we come from • Dialects and sociolects challenge the standard. • If you are not a native speaker of English, you are immediately considered to be sub standard speaker. When in fact you are the majority. • Even if you are an English speaker, based on your region, ethnicity and socio-economic status you are immediately at a disadvantage. E.g. the classic Aussie bogan. The “wog” stereotype. • However it is that your lexicon is a marker of who you are and your social group.