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Norms and meaning potential
Author(s) -
PETER STEVE
Publication year - 1994
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.1994.tb00324.x
Subject(s) - linguistics , sociolinguistics , meaning (existential) , sociology , semiotics , competence (human resources) , communicative competence , epistemology , psychology , philosophy , social psychology
The spread of English offers sociolinguistics a unique venue to study sociolinguistic variables, including the question of norms and standards for English in its worldwide domain. This paper begins with a discussion of the factors in the spread of English, and proceeds to consider the process of nativization, with particular reference to the concept of meaning potential. In this context, the construct of concentric circles as proposed by Kachru (1987) is discussed and modified. After a brief excursus on communicative competence, the conclusion is reached that norms and standards for world Englishes are best considered as interactions of the meaning potential of the social semiotic and the linguistic form of the language.