THE MECHANISM OF PRODUCING NEW VARIETIES OF ENGLISH

Abstract

The article deals with the mechanism of development and specific features of new English language varieties spoken in different countries all over the world. It has been suggested that any new language form or language pattern can become a constituent part of a new variety. The reasons why certain language forms are picked up by other speakers and thus become successful elements of a newly emerging variety, while others fall into disuse have been grouped into two categories. The internal language properties (articulation conditions, cognitive principles, etc.) can determine the superiority of certain forms over others, their greater efficiency or ensure intra-system coherence with other elements. External sociolinguistic factors (power, prestige, or social identity) mostly determine which language forms are prevalent in a community, as speakers use them to symbolize social relations, actual or desired group membership, and other personal attitudes.

Taken together, all these factors contribute to the formation of new varieties of English. Some of their features originate in local dialects, others may be the result of transition from one variety to another, innovations and changes. On the lexical plane, borrowings from indigenous languages, as well as specific types of creativity caused by semantic shift, word-forming processes such as compounding, derivation, hybridity and calquing, contribute to the formation of new expressions. On the phonetic plane, reductive processes, some degree of retention and other phenomena which cannot be always easily accounted for have been revealed. In Grammar, more common linguistic phenomena such as non-standard forms («vernacular universals»), as well as innovations at the interface between lexis and grammar have been distinguished. Therefore, in a sense, language has a life of its own. It develops according to internal laws and principles and forms new varieties with the help of objective factors.