Variation in written learner Hong Kong English: a quantitative and qualitative description

PE English

Yuen, Kwok Sum Stephen ; Smith, Jennifer

University:University of Glasgow

Department:School of Critical Studies

关键词: Hong Kong English, HKE, written learner Hong Kong English, WLHKE, sociolinguistics, linguistic variation.;   

Others  :  http://theses.gla.ac.uk/8168/9/2017YuenMPhilR.pdf

来源: University of Glasgow

【 摘 要 】

Written Learner Hong Kong English (WLHKE) is a variety of Hong Kong English (HKE) which has received less attention in Sociolinguistics than Spoken HKE (SHKE) and computer-mediated communication (CMC) HKE (also known as CHKE). Therefore, some scholars (e.g. Setter et al., 2010 p.81) call for detailed investigation on WLHKE to provide this missing link in a widely used variety of English.This thesis examines WLHKE using online data taken from an academic forum. It provides a descriptive account of the non-standard features in WLHKE and also employs a variationist analysis of plural marking. The results show that while WLHKE contains a number of distinct linguistic features, it also shares many linguistic features with SHKE and CHKE. A detailed analysis of plural marking demonstrates that a number of linguistic factors systemically condition the variation. Overall, WLHKE is much more standard than SHKE or CHKE, suggesting that asynchronous use of HKE allows for drafting of forms which more closely align with standard English.