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Developing discourse types in non‐native English: strategies of gender in Hindi and Indian English
Author(s) -
VALENTINE TAMARA M.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
world englishes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.6
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-971X
pISSN - 0883-2919
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-971x.1988.tb00227.x
Subject(s) - hindi , linguistics , conversation , variation (astronomy) , indian english , spoken language , sociology , psychology , astrophysics , philosophy , physics
This study analyzes spoken and written Hindi and Indian English texts and explores the relationship between gender and communication. It suggests that the features which characterize oral discourse are common in written discourse. This observation supports the research which indicates a relationship between literary language and the language of ordinary conversation in English. The inventories of features associated with each discourse type are examined in informal spoken Hindi and Indian English female same‐sex conversations and in written same‐sex dialogues in the creative writings of Hindi and Indian English authors. An analysis of these interactive texts shows that some of the features which are expected in informal spoken discourse are also shared in the creative written language. As discussed in various studies, discourse conventions are transcreated by creative authors in non‐native English writings. A study of this kind furthers the understanding of language use across cultures, provides cross‐cultural and cross‐linguistic data for a discussion of language variation of female and male speakers, offers important information for language learners and language teachers, and raises a challenge to the TESOL profession.