There Are All Sorts Of English


English Teaching Page, The Daily Yomiuri , 1991

I am writing in regard to the discussion of American and other varieties of English. I hope that this letter will contribute in some small way to the eventual resolution of this matter.


I used to be rather provincial in my approach to English language communication, also. I grew up in central Kansas, studied at the University of Kansas and, in one of my first jobs overseas, began to run into a number of teachers whose rhythm of speech, tone of voice and word choices surprised me. However, I soon started to notice what they were saying without paying so much attention to the unusual ways in which they were speaking, and we enjoyed many hours of good communication as we worked and played together.


At one point, in a school where I worked, there were native English speakers from five different countries: England, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. I have also been fortunate enough to participate in interesting conversations with English speakers from India, Latin America, various parts of Europe and, during the past few years, Asia.


What I would like to suggest is that the similarities among the infinite numbers of dialects and ideolects of English are far more interesting and crucial for the purpose of communication than are the differences. When people need to communicate, it is necessary to find words which along with the context will accurately convey intended meanings. These words and the ways in which they are combined might come form particular examples in any of the commonly used forms of English, or even be new, invented combinations not easily traceable to a specific region. Whether successful communication occurs is far more important than which English-using society the speakers identify with most.


I believe that English teachers in Japan should feel comfortable using their own varieties of the language, while at the same time encouraging students to be tolerant of an array of language options, none more valid than any other when considered out of context. To dwell on the differences, or to promote one variety as superior to another, is simply a waste of time for teachers and learners.

Robert Bruce Scott
The Ohio Program for English Language Teaching
Chubu University


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