Introduction: Why a Study on the Speech Rhythm of Indian English and British English Is Necessary

Abstract

This introductory chapter makes the case for a detailed study comparing the speech rhythm of an Outer Circle variety of English, Educated Indian English, with an Inner Circle variety, British English. There are now more people around the world who speak an Outer Circle variety of English (usually as a second language) than an Inner Circle variety. Outer Circle varieties of English differ from Circle varieties (such as English in Japan or Germany), in that in the Outer Circle, English is used mainly for communication within the country, whereas in the Expanding Circle, it is used mainly for international communication. Due to its internal functions, the varieties spoken in the Outer Circle have undergone a process of indigenisation, leading to the emergence of new norms that differ from the varieties spoken in the Inner Circle. Many Outer Circle varieties have been studied empirically with regard to their syntax, lexis and pragmatics, but large-scale phonological studies are rare. For Indian English, there is a particular need for a large-scale study on its speech rhythm, to determine whether Indian English is more syllable-timed than British English.