Plural Englishes and English as Language Resource

Abstract

This Special Issue presents different perspectives on ‘Global Englishes and translanguaging’. It might be noted to begin with that the use of the word ‘and’ is ambiguous – it could either be taken to indicate that the issue is to deal with two unconnected topics, or to imply that there is a connection between them, which the issue is designed to explore. This raises the question of how, if at all, the two are conceptually related – a question that obviously needs to be addressed before considering their implications for language education. The term ‘Global Englishes’ is itself ambiguous. It has come to be used as an umbrella term to refer English as an international Language in all its manifestations. But its plurality would suggest that the term also applies more specifically to different stabilized varieties of language usage associated with particular communities in what Kachru has called the Inner and Outer Circles and in this sense is synonymous with ‘World Englishes’. ‘Translanguaging’ would usually refer to the immediate process of language use, the expedient exploitation of language as a communicative resource. Translanguaging is particularly evident in the use of English as a lingua franca, ELF, which at times all users engage in whatever Kachru circle they are said to be members of.