Brad's comment on learning about English from a non-native speaker
invites the inference that English somehow belongs to a traditional
native-speaking population, however that might be defined. That
population is often thought to be made up of those who've grown up in
English-speaking countries like Britain, Ireland, Australia, New
Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and the US. But then India and Pakistan
have as long a history of native English speaking as Australia, New
Zealand, and South Africa. The fact that English is now a global
language means that its traditional homelands can no longer claim
ownership. There are world regional standard varieties of English that
have all the legitimacy of American, British, etc., including Middle
Eastern, various East Asian standards, and Continental European.
Speakers of these dialects have frequently grown up as native speakers,
usually bilingual, of English and at least their home language, often
one or two others. What distinguishes them is that in their English
education they have generally studied more formal traditional grammar
than British or American speakers because their cultures haven't
abandoned grammar instruction as we have over the last half century. I
suspect the two Chinese professors mentioned were bilingual native
speakers of English who had that educational background.
This, of course, bears only on courses about English. As Johanna noted,
linguistics is about language, not just about English, so the first
language of the teacher doesn't really matter.
Herb
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cynthia Baird
Sent: 2008-02-15 00:18
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: pronunciation of "been"
Hey, Bob! I often feel shy about adding to his listserve. And you're a
professor and I'm just a high school English teacher!
My "lovable linguistics professor" was quite an oddity. He was Chinese
by birth and ethnicity, raised and educated in New Zealand, but he
taught me more about the English language than any of my native-USA or
British-born professors ever taught me. Go figure.
I don't know where this thread is going, but I what I'd like to say is
that no one has the last word on the English language and that many
second language learners know more about the English language than
first-language users do!
"Miller, Robert" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hello,
I am new to the discussion, and this is my first time adding to
the listserv (I feel as if I am on talk radio.).
I was taught how to write by a Chinese colleague in my MA
program. Most of what he taught me, I still use in my composition
classes.
Bob Miller
Assistant Professor of English
CCBC
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brad Johnston
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 3:49 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: pronunciation of "been"
You let a native Frenchman teach you linguistics? (in English,
I presume)
Wow!
Isn't that like taking tennis lessons from a golf pro?
"Spruiell, William C" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
one of my undergraduate linguistics professors, who happened to
be a native speaker of French ...
________________________________
Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with
Yahoo! Search.
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51734/*http:/tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearc
h/category.php?category=shopping> To join or leave this LISTSERV list,
please visit the list's web interface at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave
the list"
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
________________________________
Spam
<https://ssl.ccbcmd.edu:7726/canit/b.php?i=34894102&m=2cda9859c337&c=s>
Not spam
<https://ssl.ccbcmd.edu:7726/canit/b.php?i=34894102&m=2cda9859c337&c=n>
Forget previous vote
<https://ssl.ccbcmd.edu:7726/canit/b.php?i=34894102&m=2cda9859c337&c=f>
To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web
interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select
"Join or leave the list"
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
________________________________
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs> To join or
leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave
the list"
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
|
