Commonwealth English: Difference between revisions
imported>John Stephenson (implied that British and American English were the same until US independence) |
imported>Ro Thorpe (regional Brit variants) |
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'''Commonwealth English''' is a blanket term for the [[English language|English]] that developed during the [[British Empire]] after the independence of the [[United States of America]]. Thus it is the [[British English|English]] of the [[United Kingdom]] and that variety's development in the [[Commonwealth]] nations, such as [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Sri Lanka]] and the [[Caribbean English|Caribbean]]. Those places use [[British English]] as their ancestral model - in contrast to [[Canada]], whose English is a variety of [[American English]]. Also to be considered outside the definition are [[Irish English]] | '''Commonwealth English''' is a blanket term for the [[English language|English]] that developed during the [[British Empire]] after the independence of the [[United States of America]]. Thus it is the [[British English|English]] of the [[United Kingdom]] and that variety's development in the [[Commonwealth]] nations, such as [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Sri Lanka]] and the [[Caribbean English|Caribbean]]. Those places use [[British English]] as their ancestral model - in contrast to [[Canada]], whose English is a variety of [[American English]]. Also to be considered outside the definition are all regional variants within the British Isles, including [[Irish English]] (the [[Ireland (state)|Republic of Ireland]] is not a member of the Commonwealth) and [[Mozambican English]]. [[Mozambique]] does not have English as the colonial language: it was part of the [[Portuguese Empire]], and only joined the Commonwealth in 1996. | ||
Revision as of 14:23, 18 June 2009
Commonwealth English is a blanket term for the English that developed during the British Empire after the independence of the United States of America. Thus it is the English of the United Kingdom and that variety's development in the Commonwealth nations, such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean. Those places use British English as their ancestral model - in contrast to Canada, whose English is a variety of American English. Also to be considered outside the definition are all regional variants within the British Isles, including Irish English (the Republic of Ireland is not a member of the Commonwealth) and Mozambican English. Mozambique does not have English as the colonial language: it was part of the Portuguese Empire, and only joined the Commonwealth in 1996.