| Peer-Reviewed

China English, Not a Legitimate Variety of English

Received: 19 March 2021     Accepted: 31 March 2021     Published: 12 April 2021
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Abstract

China has a long history in its contact with English. With the increasingly influence of China expands in the worldwide stage, ‘China English’ has emerged correspondingly to satisfy her need to communicate its stories to the audiences around the world. And the situation has developed to the extent that some scholars and English learners are so confident in ‘China English’ as to conclude that it is a member of the ‘World Englishes’, varieties of English that developed in other parts of the globe outside native English-speaking countries. This conclusion goes too far when it is testified against different factors both at home and abroad. This article firstly introduces the background of the proposal of the concept “China English”, and then discusses the validity of the concept against Butler’s criteria, what standard English is from the Chinese English learners’ eye, the situation of China English in China, other elements preventing the popularity of China English, and in the end, by referring to relevant figures, the authors point out that standard English is a necessity for Chinese English learners and it is suggested that Standard English, instead of China English, still has its place in English teaching and learning in China.

Published in International Journal of Education, Culture and Society (Volume 6, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijecs.20210602.12
Page(s) 48-53
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

China English, Standard English, Butler’s Criteria, Interference from Chinese Language, Government Policy

References
[1] Bolton Kingsley (2000) The sociolinguistics of Hong Kong and the space for Hong Kong English. World English, 19 (3).
[2] Beijing Daily. 2019. ‘Do you know where Chinese students prefer to study abroad?’ Onlineat https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1627869696911535244andwfr=spiderandfor=pc (Accessed August 28, 2019).
[3] Bolton, K., and Botha, W. (2015). Researching English in contemporary china. World Englishes, 34 (2), 169–174.
[4] Du Ruiqing and Jiang Yajun (2001). Jin ershi nian ‘Zhongguo Yingyu’ yanjiu shuiping [An overview of studies of ‘China English’ in the last two decades]. Waiyu Jiaoxue yu Yanjiu [Foreign languages teaching and research], 33 (1), 37-41.
[5] Jia Guanjie (1997). Wei Zhongguo Yingyu yibian [To defend China English]. Waiyu yu Waiyu Jiaoxue [Foreign languages and foreign language teaching], 5, 11-12.
[6] Jia Guanjie (2013). Zhongguo Yingyu zai yanjiu [Further study on China English]. Dangdai Waiyu Yanjiu [Contemporary foreign language study]. 3.
[7] Kachru, Braj B. (1992) The other tongue. English Across Cultures. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. (2nd edition).
[8] Kirkpatrick, A., and Zhichang, X. (2002). Chinese pragmatic norms and ‘China English’. World Englishes.
[9] Li Wenzhong (1993) Zhongguo Yingyu yu Zhongguoshi Yingyu [China English and Chinese Enlgish]. Waiyu Jiaoxue yu Yanjiu [Foreign languages teaching and research] 4, 18-24.
[10] Lin Qiuyun (1998) Zuowei waiyu de Yingyu bianti: Zhongguo Yingyu [A variety of English as a foreign language: China English] Waiyu yu Waiyu Jiaoxue [Foreign languages and foreign language teaching]. 110 (8).
[11] Megan Eaves (2011). English, Chinglish or China English? English Today, 27, 64-70.
[12] Sun Li (1989), Yingyu Guobie Bianti de Yanjiu he Yingyu zai Zhongguo [English Varieties and English in China]. Waiguoyu [Foreign Languages]. 2, 21.
[13] Wang Rongpei (1991) Zhongguo Yingyu shi Keguan Cunzai [China English is an objective existence]. Jiefangjun Waiyu Xueyuan Xuebao [Journal of PLA University of Foreign Languages], 1, 1-8.
[14] Wei Yun and Fei Jia (2003). Using English in China. English Today. 4, 42-47.
[15] Xu Hongchen and Gao Yihong (2014). Sici Daxing Guoji Huodong Qianhou Daxuesheng Zhiyuanzhe dui Shijie Yingyu de Taidu [College students' attitude towards world English before and after four major international events] Foreign language Education 35 (1).
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  • APA Style

    Feng Minghui, Huo Dongming. (2021). China English, Not a Legitimate Variety of English. International Journal of Education, Culture and Society, 6(2), 48-53. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20210602.12

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    ACS Style

    Feng Minghui; Huo Dongming. China English, Not a Legitimate Variety of English. Int. J. Educ. Cult. Soc. 2021, 6(2), 48-53. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20210602.12

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    AMA Style

    Feng Minghui, Huo Dongming. China English, Not a Legitimate Variety of English. Int J Educ Cult Soc. 2021;6(2):48-53. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20210602.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijecs.20210602.12,
      author = {Feng Minghui and Huo Dongming},
      title = {China English, Not a Legitimate Variety of English},
      journal = {International Journal of Education, Culture and Society},
      volume = {6},
      number = {2},
      pages = {48-53},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijecs.20210602.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20210602.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijecs.20210602.12},
      abstract = {China has a long history in its contact with English. With the increasingly influence of China expands in the worldwide stage, ‘China English’ has emerged correspondingly to satisfy her need to communicate its stories to the audiences around the world. And the situation has developed to the extent that some scholars and English learners are so confident in ‘China English’ as to conclude that it is a member of the ‘World Englishes’, varieties of English that developed in other parts of the globe outside native English-speaking countries. This conclusion goes too far when it is testified against different factors both at home and abroad. This article firstly introduces the background of the proposal of the concept “China English”, and then discusses the validity of the concept against Butler’s criteria, what standard English is from the Chinese English learners’ eye, the situation of China English in China, other elements preventing the popularity of China English, and in the end, by referring to relevant figures, the authors point out that standard English is a necessity for Chinese English learners and it is suggested that Standard English, instead of China English, still has its place in English teaching and learning in China.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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    JF  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
    JO  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    AB  - China has a long history in its contact with English. With the increasingly influence of China expands in the worldwide stage, ‘China English’ has emerged correspondingly to satisfy her need to communicate its stories to the audiences around the world. And the situation has developed to the extent that some scholars and English learners are so confident in ‘China English’ as to conclude that it is a member of the ‘World Englishes’, varieties of English that developed in other parts of the globe outside native English-speaking countries. This conclusion goes too far when it is testified against different factors both at home and abroad. This article firstly introduces the background of the proposal of the concept “China English”, and then discusses the validity of the concept against Butler’s criteria, what standard English is from the Chinese English learners’ eye, the situation of China English in China, other elements preventing the popularity of China English, and in the end, by referring to relevant figures, the authors point out that standard English is a necessity for Chinese English learners and it is suggested that Standard English, instead of China English, still has its place in English teaching and learning in China.
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Author Information
  • School of International Education, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, China

  • College of Electrical Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, China

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