English is the most geographically widespread language in the world. More than 300 million people speak it as a first language and a nearly equal number use it in addition to their own language. Yet the English spoken in London differs from that of Sidney, and both differ from the English of Belfast, Cape Town, Kingston, Delhi, and Chicago. As English has moved around the globe, it has changed to reflect the variety of communities using it. Although each version is generally intelligible to other English-speakers, a rich diversity of vocabulary, pronunciation, and usage makes each one distinct. “English as a World Language” compiles fourteen original essays that detail the history and present use of these versions. Included are studies of English as it is spoken in Great Britain and Ireland, Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea.

(From the front flap of the book)