Decentering, recentering and the Hong Kong English dictionary

Andrew SEWELL

Decentering, recentering and the Hong Kong English dictionary

Lingnan University

Research output: Other Conference Contributions › Conference Paper (other) › Other Conference Paper › peer-review

Abstract

Regional varieties of English, among them 'Hong Kong English', are the central concern of the World Englishes research paradigm. The codification of these varieties has been a recurring theme in World Englishes discourse. In this talk I will consider 'A Dictionary of Hong Kong English' (Cummings and Wolf, 2011), which is intended to contribute to the legitimation of Hong Kong English as a variety. I will consider the dictionary in terms of various contrasts: 'decentering/recentering' (or 'centrifugal/centripetal'), and 'polycentric/pluricentric'. Questions that will be raised include: what are the assumptions about language and communication that underlie the production of a dictionary, and how do these relate to the sociolinguistics of globalization? Is the very existence of the conventional dictionary an anachronism? What possible futures are there for dictionaries of English, given Benson's (2001) observation that what they purport to describe is 'heterogeneous, dynamic and infinitely variable in its regional, social and temporal dimensions'?

Benson, P. (2001). Ethnocentrism and the English Dictionary. London and New York: Routledge.
Cummings, P. and Wolf, H.-G. (2011) A Dictionary of Hong Kong English: Words from the Fragrant
Harbour. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
Keywords: globalization, decentering, legitimacy, normativity, variation
Language ideology (1)

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 4 Jun 2015
Event	The Sociolinguistics of Globalization: (De)centring and (de)standardization - Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Duration: 3 Jun 2015 → 6 Jun 2015 https://edisoportal.org/simposium2015/2cfp/63-archivo/406-cfp-the-sociolinguistics-of-globalization-de-centring-and-de-standardization

Conference

Conference	The Sociolinguistics of Globalization: (De)centring and (de)standardization
Country/Territory	Hong Kong
City	Hong Kong
Period	3/06/15 → 6/06/15
Other	The University of Hong Kong
Internet address	https://edisoportal.org/simposium2015/2cfp/63-archivo/406-cfp-the-sociolinguistics-of-globalization-de-centring-and-de-standardization

Keywords

globalization
decentering
legitimacy
normativity
variation Language ideology

Cite this

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title = "Decentering, recentering and the Hong Kong English dictionary",

abstract = "Regional varieties of English, among them 'Hong Kong English', are the central concern of the World Englishes research paradigm. The codification of these varieties has been a recurring theme in World Englishes discourse. In this talk I will consider 'A Dictionary of Hong Kong English' (Cummings and Wolf, 2011), which is intended to contribute to the legitimation of Hong Kong English as a variety. I will consider the dictionary in terms of various contrasts: 'decentering/recentering' (or 'centrifugal/centripetal'), and 'polycentric/pluricentric'. Questions that will be raised include: what are the assumptions about language and communication that underlie the production of a dictionary, and how do these relate to the sociolinguistics of globalization? Is the very existence of the conventional dictionary an anachronism? What possible futures are there for dictionaries of English, given Benson's (2001) observation that what they purport to describe is 'heterogeneous, dynamic and infinitely variable in its regional, social and temporal dimensions'?Benson, P. (2001). Ethnocentrism and the English Dictionary. London and New York: Routledge.Cummings, P. and Wolf, H.-G. (2011) A Dictionary of Hong Kong English: Words from the FragrantHarbour. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.Keywords: globalization, decentering, legitimacy, normativity, variationLanguage ideology (1)",

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AB - Regional varieties of English, among them 'Hong Kong English', are the central concern of the World Englishes research paradigm. The codification of these varieties has been a recurring theme in World Englishes discourse. In this talk I will consider 'A Dictionary of Hong Kong English' (Cummings and Wolf, 2011), which is intended to contribute to the legitimation of Hong Kong English as a variety. I will consider the dictionary in terms of various contrasts: 'decentering/recentering' (or 'centrifugal/centripetal'), and 'polycentric/pluricentric'. Questions that will be raised include: what are the assumptions about language and communication that underlie the production of a dictionary, and how do these relate to the sociolinguistics of globalization? Is the very existence of the conventional dictionary an anachronism? What possible futures are there for dictionaries of English, given Benson's (2001) observation that what they purport to describe is 'heterogeneous, dynamic and infinitely variable in its regional, social and temporal dimensions'?Benson, P. (2001). Ethnocentrism and the English Dictionary. London and New York: Routledge.Cummings, P. and Wolf, H.-G. (2011) A Dictionary of Hong Kong English: Words from the FragrantHarbour. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.Keywords: globalization, decentering, legitimacy, normativity, variationLanguage ideology (1)

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KW - decentering

KW - legitimacy

KW - normativity

KW - variation Language ideology

UR - http://doczz.net/doc/3271641/book-of-abstracts---school-of-english

M3 - Conference Paper (other)

T2 - The Sociolinguistics of Globalization: (De)centring and (de)standardization

Y2 - 3 June 2015 through 6 June 2015

ER -

Decentering, recentering and the Hong Kong English dictionary

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Conference

Keywords

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