AbstractThis paper investigates the commonalities among linguistic structures despite differences in different varieties of English. It, further, probes the proximity of yes/no question variants produced by Canadian English native speakers and those produced by Iranian intermediate EFL learners. The functions of such question variants are also probed in this study. Making use of an Edinburgh Map Task, 60 Canadians and Iranians performed the task and made English yes/no question variants considering the context and functions of the questions. Based on the results, both groups utilized the same type of yes/no question variants with the same functions. However, with respect to quantity, Canadians made more variants while the context was similar. Another difference noticed was the most frequent variant: Iranians' frequent variant coincided with the informal context, the Canadians', yet, did not. These findings revealed that both Canadians and Iranians from two different circles syntactically and pragmatically behaved similarly.Keywords: World Englishes, Standard English, Variation, Proximity1. IntroductionIn recent years, rapid growth in international contacts and communication in politics, trade and technology, tourism, education, entertainment and the internet, among others, reveals the fact that a common language is required to facilitate understanding and to provide successful communication (Kaur, 2010). Hence, for a great number of the people involved in international interactions, English has become a language of vital importance. In effect, the continuing spread of English throughout the world has given rise to the development of different varieties of this language.Kachru (1985) elaborates on English diffusion and proposes the three concentric circles: the Inner Circle, the Outer Circle, and the Expanding Circle. The countries where English is used could be classified under Inner, Outer, or Expanding regarding the role that English plays in their societies. Following Kachru, McArthur (1987, 1998) was tempted to say that these three circles have resulted in several English languages. Thus, these diverse socio-cultural contexts and the use of the language in culturally distinct contexts resulted in the world Englishes (Kachru, 1990).Van Rooy (2010) emphasizes gaining insight into the study of world Englishes as a difficult issue without considering variability inherent in the structure of language. He claims that based on the recent works on the development and stabilization of Englishes (Trudgill 2004, 2008; Schneider 2003; 2007, 2008), the interaction between linguistic and social forces is of importance as the key to a meaningful understanding of the role of variation in language. Given variation, Jenkins (2006) asserts that there exists both inter- and intra-speaker variation according to social context, which performs linguistic and social functions. On the other hand, while the earlier works on world Englishes often have accentuated the features that were unique to the particular national or regional varieties; the recent ones have paid special attention to the commonalities, the stable and settled features of these varieties (Schneider, 2003).Concerning the variation in world Englishes claimed by Van Rooy, Trudgill, and Schneider as well as the commonalities available in these varieties proposed by Schneider; this study aims at investigating how far or near the Iranians' (the Expanding Circle) linguistic performance (producing yes/no question variants) is to the Canadians' (the Inner Circle) despite their diverse socio-cultural contexts. It probes for any stable and settled features between the English yes/no question variants produced by Iranian EFL learners and Canadian English native speakers. The study further scrutinizes the functions of such various yes/no question structures utilized by Canadian English native speakers and Iranian EFL learners.2. Theoretical Background2. …