Euro English A Debate and its Implications for Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Euro-English:
A Debate and its Implications for Teaching English as a Foreign Language
by
Christine Raack

A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts

Approved March 2012 by the
Graduate Supervisory Committee:
Elly Van Gelderen, Chair
Karen Adams
Carla Ghanem

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
May 2012


UMI Number: 1508467

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ABSTRACT
This thesis investigates the acceptability of a new variety of English
among the English teaching community in Germany. A number of linguists claim
there is a new variety of English developing in continental Europe, also known as
Euro-English. Their research has surfaced multiple features that are unique to
European speakers of English. Twenty-one teachers participated in a survey. They
answered a questionnaire consisting of two parts. Part one investigates the
background of the teachers, their attitudes towards different varieties of English,
and their awareness of the research regarding Euro-English. Part two tests the
acceptability of ten features that have been claimed to be specific for mainland
Europeans. Results of this study reveal that there is little awareness of non-native
varieties and many find it hard to accept the features of Euro-English. However,
the teachers show a genuine interest in this topic. Where there is a general
preference in holding on to the guidelines of standard norms, many comments
indicate that teachers think about issues of identity and how their teaching could
be affected by a broader scope that exceeds traditional methods.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER

Page

1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................ 1

2 ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA (ELF)......................................... 6

English Worldwide........................................................................... 6

Defining English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)...................................... 8

Conceptualizing English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) ........................ 10

ELF Features.................................................................................. 11

Phonology...................................................................................... 12

Pragmatics ..................................................................................... 13

Lexicogrammar.............................................................................. 20

3 ENGLISH IN EUROPE ...................................................................... 24

The Role of English in Europe ....................................................... 24

The Role of English on a National Level ........................................ 27

The Example of Sweden................................................................. 27

The Example of Germany .............................................................. 28

Resistance to English ..................................................................... 32
English as the EU Working Language ............................................ 34

The European Identity.................................................................... 36

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CHAPTER

Page

4 EURO-ENGLISH ............................................................................... 41

The Term Euro-English.................................................................. 41

The Vienna-Oxford International Corpus of English (VOICE) ....... 44


Features of European Languages.................................................... 45

Features of Euro-English................................................................ 52

A New Variety or Learner Language.............................................. 58

Native and Non-native Teachers of English.................................... 62

Teaching the Variety ...................................................................... 64

5 THE STUDY ...................................................................................... 68

Survey of English Teachers............................................................ 70

Participants .................................................................................... 71

The Questionnaire .......................................................................... 73

Results ........................................................................................... 74

Professional Opportunities for Non-native and Native Speakers ..... 74

Identity........................................................................................... 77
Awareness of other Varieties of English......................................... 78

Awareness of Euro-English as a Topic of Discussion ..................... 80

Student Age Groups and Motivational Levels................................. 83

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CHAPTER

page
Varieties of English: Availability and Preference ........................... 83

Acceptability of Euro-English Features .......................................... 89

Discussion of Results and Comments ............................................. 98


6 CONCLUSION................................................................................. 108

REFERENCES................................................................................................ 114

APPENDIX
A INFORMATION LETTER ABOUT THE STUDY.......................... 123

B QUESTIONNAIRE.......................................................................... 125


C APPROVAL FOR EXEMPT RESEARCH....................................... 131


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