Standard English - The Widening Debate (Hardcover)

The debates surrounding "Standard English", grammar and correctness are as intense in the late 1990s as ever and extend far beyond an academic context. This text draws together international scholars who confront the issues head on. Current debates about the teaching of English in the school curriculum and more general concerns about declining standards of English are placed in an historical, social and international context. It includes: tracing the notion of "Standard English" from its roots in the practices of late-17th century grammarians, through succeeding centuries to the present day; an exploration of the definitions of "Standard English", with particular attention paid to distinctions between spoken and written English; a demonstration that "Standard English" is viewed very differently in the US, the text reveals how it is used as a marker for different forms of social discrimination, and draws on similar issues such as the English Only movement and Ebonics.