Variation in Nonnative Varieties of English

Abstract

The extant varieties of English can be grouped into three major classes based on sociolinguistic considerations: native varieties, nonnative varieties, and English-lexified pidgins and creoles. Typologically, the native varieties are homogenous, but the nonnative varieties exhibit varying degrees of variation in grammar and vocabulary, largely due to the influence of indigenous languages. In terms of function, the nonnative varieties are vernaculars used as L in diglossic opposition to the superposed standard variety of native English. Their low prestige and inadequate linguistic resources ill-prepare them for use in high-prestige domains.