The Handbook of World Englishes, 2nd Edition

16Contact Linguistics and World Englishes

RAJEND MESTHRIE

1 Introduction

The world Englishes paradigm is most closely associated with the foundational work of Braj Kachru in establishing the field of nativized second‐language varieties as a legitimate area of academic study. At the same time, Kachru has taken a proactive applied‐linguistic stand in fighting for the recognition of these varieties as legitimate in their contexts of use. For Kachru, English in countries such as India or Nigeria has developed its own norms which make it appropriate to its cultural and educational contexts. As a tool of communication within these countries, English has to play a complementary role to that of the local languages in a finely balanced linguistic ecology. The strengths of the Kachruvian approach can be seen in its applicability beyond the realms of the former British empire. It has furnished us with models, schemata, and debates that would appear to apply as well, to varying degrees, to French in Africa, Spanish in the New World, and the rise and fall of Russian in the former Soviet republics.

The successes of the paradigm are clear: world Englishes study is an essential part of the branches of linguistics/sociolinguistics that are characterised by labels like “language spread” and “contact linguistics.” In addition, the argument for the legitimation of the varieties and for recognition of their cultural value has made its mark in applied linguistics. The perspective I wish to highlight ...