Regional Variations in English: A Synthesis of Global Diffusion and Local Divergence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69760/portuni.0110006Keywords:
English variation, sociolinguistics, World Englishes, phonological change, grammatical variation, contact linguistics, post-varietiesAbstract
This article explores the dynamic landscape of regional variation in English, tracing its development from the three historical diasporas to its present status as a globally distributed set of highly diversified varieties. Using Kachru’s Three Concentric Circles model as a foundational framework, the study also critically engages with contemporary post-varieties perspectives, which have emerged in response to the sociolinguistics of globalization and digital communication.
Corpus-based and dialectological findings are synthesized across major variables, with particular attention to phonological features such as rhoticity, which function as strong indicators of historical diffusion timing and social differentiation. The study additionally examines morphosyntactic distinctions, noting that grammatical differences—such as regional contrasts between the Present Perfect and the Simple Past—often represent stable variation patterns, rather than mere remnants of older colonial norms .
The analysis highlights a persistent tension between forces of convergence, such as dialect levelling and standardization pressures, and forces of divergence, including nativization processes and contact-induced innovation. Ultimately, understanding regional English varieties requires an appreciation of both macro-sociolinguistic mechanisms and the micro-level sociophonetic functions of variation in shaping local linguistic identities.
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