Norm Orientation of Chinese English: a Sociohistorical Perspective (PDF)

The global diffusion of English accompanies its localization, which results from English contact with the local language in certain socio-cultural situations. English in China, where there is the largest number of English speakers and ever-increasing potential number in the world, is leading to an increasing focus of study. Based on the theoretical framework of world Englishes and the literature review of Chinese English studies, with the English studies approach and the sociolinguistic approach, this study presents a historical, current social, and linguistic profile of Chinese English. The norm orientation of Chinese English is demonstrated with an empirical investigation drawing upon a sample of Chinese students from the universities of Beijing and Hulunbeir.
The studies have drawn the following conclusions.
Firstly, the historical diffusion and the current world lingua franca status of English in the situation of world globalization cause English language contact with certain local languages and its local social context. Historically and currently there are various terms of Chinese localized English such as Chinese Pidgin English, Chinese politicized English, New pidgin, Internet Chinese English, etc. These conventions are forming a pragmatic norm of Chinese English with showing Chinese identity in intercultural communication around the world.
Secondly, the premise of English localization is the important status in a certain country. The context of China, Asian and the world determines the necessity of the promoted English policy in China. English means a social advance and personal development for China and Chinese people. English has become a semi-official language and these social factors are encouraging the process of English localization in China.
Thirdly, the localization of English caused by English language contact with a certain local language in a certain social context is inevitable to arouse the problem of English norm or standard. Chinese English norm orientation includes three perspectives. It has the pragmatic norm with representation of the features; the code norm in pedagogical application and in people's conceptions is exonormative English, British and American English; and the acceptance of the pragmatic norm of Chinese English is in its formation. The acceptance of Chinese English needs linguistic convergence, functional increase, and language ideological self awareness.
All the conclusions above are drawn with the case study of China and Chinese English development. It is expected for the findings in this research to enrich the study of world Englishes especially the development and acceptance of the localized English in non-native English countries.