Filozofická Fakulta

Lingvistika Praha 2015

Standard English?!

Jan Pikhart
FF PU v Prešove
<jan.pikhart@seznam.cz>

Stáhnout příspěvek v pdf

Abstract:

Standard English?!

In spite of the fact that linguistics is primarily a descriptive discipline, the notion of a standard language has been hotly debated from various points of view amongst linguists as well as non-linguists for a long time. Discussions tend to conjure up negative associations and value judgments about a low standard in a language. To a great extent, the notion of fixing, refining and cultivating the Czech language was endorsed by the Prague School, for instance. In effect, the role of standard as a correct and a prestigious variety is deeply rooted not only in this country, particularly when it comes to education. In a similar vein, debates on the teaching of English have been fierce and numerous in various parts of the English¬ speaking world, chiefly in Britain and the USA. The current article aims to look at the complex and questionable concept and nature of Standard English. As a matter of fact, it attempts to demystify some of the views held by some authors on Standard English. The article reviews some of the salient features of standards of English. It questions the notion of Standard English as one and only variety as indicated in the title of the paper as well as the non-existence of a language codex. The author draws on the papers of and interviews with both domestic and international scholars.

Key words:

assessment, codification, description, English, prescription, standard

Jak citovat příspěvek:

Pikhart, Jan (2016): Standard English?!. Lingvistika Praha 2015 [online]. Publ. 29. 2. 2016. Cit. 29. 3. 2024. Dostupné z WWW: <http://lingvistikapraha.ff.cuni.cz/sbornik>.

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