Transforming Southeast Asian language habitats

Abstract

ABSTRACTSoutheast Asia is marked by high levels of diversity that carry over into its linguistic habitats. Located at sea routes that connect East Asia, East Africa, the Middle East and Europe, it was a part of major trade network between the 7th and 17th centuries and a geo‐political hub that enabled the exchange of political systems and power, goods and services, cultures and religions, languages and people. Its language habitats were marked by high levels of contact and change. Today Southeast Asia is more than a transit region. It is a geo‐political entity that is pursuing its own priorities. This paper focuses on the growth and current status of English within different national environments and the developing regional or ASEAN context. It pursues three objectives: (i) to outline the history of English in the context of existing habitats so as to develop research questions; (ii) to highlight linguistic developments which unite or, alternatively, distinguish different varieties of English in the region; and (iii) to raise some implications for educational policies, which are referred to briefly in the conclusion.