Questions for Discussion. 1. What does the term „Standard English‟ mean?

 

1. What does the term „Standard English‟ mean?

2. What is the difference between the terms „variants‟ and „local dialects‟ of the

English language?

3. What variant of English is considered to be Standard English?

4. What variants of English exist on the territory of the United Kingdom?

 

 

5. Why do Scottish English and Irish English have a special linguistic status and cannot be referred to as dialects?

6. What are the main distinctive features of Scottish English?

7. What are the main peculiarities of Irish English?

8. What variants of the English language outside the British Isles can be singled out?

9. What distinctive features does the vocabulary of American English have? What is meant by: a) historical Americanisms; b) proper Americanisms; c) specifically American borrowings; d) American shortenings?

10. What does Canadian English have in common with: a) American English;

b) British English? What does the term 'Canadianisms' denote?

11. What varieties of the English language does Australian English have close ties with? What are the main peculiarities of Australian English?

12. What are the main distinctive features of New Zealand English?

13. Where is South African English spoken? What variants of English and other languages does South African English have close links with and why? What are the peculiarities of the vocabulary of South African English?

14. What is meant by the term 'Indian English'? What peculiarities are characteristic of this variant of the English language?

15. In what way does the American variant of English differ from British English?

16. What are the spelling differences between American English and British English words?

17. What are the main lexical differences between British English and American

English?

18. What groups of local dialects in Great Britain can be singled out?

19. What are the main features of Cockney?

20. What do you know about Estuary English?

21. What are the distinctive features of the Yorkshire dialect?

22. What groups of local dialects in the United States can be identified?

23. What dialect do inhabitants of New York City and southeastern of New York

State speak?

24. What do you know about the New Jersey dialect?

25. What are the main peculiarities of the Standard Midwestern dialect? What can you say about the linguistic status of this dialect?

26. In what parts of the United States do people speak the North Midland and the

South Midland dialects?

27. What do you know about African-American Vernacular English?

28. What does social language variation deal with?

29. What is the most important linguistic change affecting English since 1960s?

30. What are the peculiarities of a pidgin language?