VARIANTS AND DIALECTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The main variants of the English language

Variants of English in the UK

Local dialects

Cockney dialect

Scottish English

Irish English

Variants of English outside the British Isles

American English

Canadian English

Australian English

New Zealand English

South African English

3.6 Indian English

1.The main variants of the English language

In Modern linguistics the distinction is made between Standard English and territorial variants and local dialects of the English language.

Standard English may be defined as that form of English which is current and literary, substantially uniform and recognized as acceptable wherever English is spoken or understood. Standard English is the variety most widely accepted and understood either within an English-speak­ing country or throughout the entire English-speaking world.

Variants of English are regional varieties possessing a literary norm. There are distinguished variants existing on the territory of the United Kingdom (British English, Scottish English and Irish English), and is existing outside the British Isles (American English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English, South African and Indian English).

British English is often referred to the written Standard English and the pronunciation known as Received Pronununciation (RP).

Local dialects are varieties of English peculiar to some districts, s means of oral communication in small localities; they possess normalized literary form.

Ex1

People very often use Cockney rhyming slang. Let’s see how apt you are to match the slang with the definitions.

Just as I feared stairs

God forbids whiskey

It’s breeze telephone

Gay and frisky mouth

Five-acre farm girl

North and south hair

Do and dare boy

Ocean pearl on the dole

Rob Roy dead

Old king Cole wife

Apples and pears beard

Dog and bone underwear

Barnet fare kids

Jimmy riddle arm

Trouble and strife wife

Fried bread piddle

Ex 2 Interpret the following phrases containing Cockney slang.

1Brian has a dun complexion, red hair and an ugly just as I feared. 2.Hey, buddy, pour some more gay and frisky for me, would you? 3. Can I make a call here? – Sure. The dog and bone is over there.4. Look at your north and south. Go and wash yourself! 5.I am so glad that my trouble and strife has stayed at home.6. Don’t you want to buy me this gorgeous do and dare, darling? – No it’s too expensive. You know I’m like an Old King Cole now.7.Our old fellow Jim has already been fried bread for 10 years, but we still remember his boisterous, wilful character.

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