135:
123:
24:
267:
and some French influences. It is the product of several waves of immigration and settlement, from
Britain, Ireland, France, the United States, and around the world, over a period of more than two centuries. Modern Canadian English has taken significant vocabulary and spelling from the shared
283:
varieties spoken, but they are not one and the same. There is a great deal of variation in the way
English is spoken, with a "Standard English" at one end of a bipolar linguistic continuum and Creole languages at the other. These dialects have roots in 17th-century British and
500:
phonology is highly variable; stress, rhythm and intonation are generally different from those of native varieties. There are also several peculiarities at the levels of morphology, syntax and usage, some of which can also be found among educated speakers.
218:, with some exceptions, particularly in Canada, where there are strong influences from neighbouring American English. Few Commonwealth countries besides Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom have produced their own English
195:, but is also used to distinguish between British English and that in the rest of the Commonwealth. English in the Commonwealth is diverse, and many regions have developed their own local varieties of the language. In
324:"; that is, each English-speaking community has developed (or is in the process of developing) its own standards of usage, often under the influence of local languages. These dialects are sometimes referred to as
1154:
699:. Handbooks of linguistics and communication science / Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft. Vol. 3 (2nd ed.). Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. p. 1888.
696:
Sociolinguistics: an international handbook of the science of language and society / Soziolinguistik: ein internationales
Handbuch zur Wissenschaft von Sprache und Gesellschaft
984:
41:
264:
1257:
88:
1384:
60:
1410:
1379:
1366:
1013:
816:
67:
1374:
859:
411:
1244:
1204:
977:
163:
384:
and other cities where there is an expanding middle class, for whom
English is increasingly being used in the home as the first language.
1262:
1252:
74:
1351:
572:
1272:
1120:
1087:
1079:
134:
56:
1018:
970:
1303:
1149:
1140:
296:
languages including French, Spanish, and Dutch; unlike most native varieties of
English, West Indian dialects often tend to be
1219:
1159:
1102:
1059:
836:
237:
native varieties of
English began to develop during the 18th century, with the colonisation of Australasia and South Africa.
737:
1169:
1308:
1189:
170:, with some exceptions. English serves as the medium of inter-Commonwealth relations and the language forms part of the
1145:
619:
344:
exist, with a lot of regional variation and some influence from indigenous languages. West
African English tends to be
1214:
955:
937:
922:
704:
107:
81:
1277:
1194:
1184:
214:
Written
English in the current and former Commonwealth generally favours British English spelling as opposed to
1318:
1049:
45:
1323:
1125:
472:
has the largest
English-speaking population in the Commonwealth, although comparatively very few speakers of
1405:
1164:
1092:
1069:
555:
127:
641:
693:
Ammon, Ulrich; Dittmar, Norbert; Mattheier, Klaus J.; Trudgill, Peter, eds. (2006). "Greece and Cyprus".
171:
1224:
418:
said that he expected
Commonwealth membership to provide opportunities for Togolese citizens to learn
1333:
1174:
671:
442:
ceased to be part of the Commonwealth (by virtue of being a British territory) in 1997. Nonetheless,
186:
1199:
1179:
1044:
1034:
361:
341:
1130:
993:
910:
509:
175:
34:
666:
1356:
1229:
1209:
560:
423:
357:
353:
1346:
400:
246:
1341:
1328:
577:
329:
455:
8:
1112:
759:
497:
489:
289:
242:
234:
196:
189:
to English as practised in the Commonwealth; the term is most often interchangeable with
1298:
1267:
1135:
893:
790:
485:
238:
1064:
1053:
951:
933:
918:
832:
794:
782:
700:
517:
513:
481:
443:
276:
200:
1313:
824:
774:
550:
529:
461:
419:
369:
260:
215:
159:
476:
are first-language speakers. The same is true of English spoken in other parts of
962:
828:
741:
734:
694:
545:
493:
365:
285:
280:
191:
1008:
943:
533:
525:
521:
473:
321:
297:
250:
211:. English is spoken as a first or second language in most of the Commonwealth.
167:
151:
1399:
1234:
786:
778:
415:
206:
611:
584:
301:
293:
263:
contains elements of British English and American English, as well as many
219:
122:
1096:
1038:
591:
465:
223:
139:
897:
885:
823:, vol. 3, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 592–622,
249:(though it has unique influences from indigenous African languages, and
477:
126:
Current Commonwealth members (dark blue), former members (orange), and
439:
345:
254:
245:
are closely related to each other, and share some similarities with
23:
948:
International English: A Guide to the Varieties of Standard English
886:"From the Imperial to the Empirical: Teaching English in Hong Kong"
392:
388:
377:
860:"Togo sees Commonwealth entry as pivot to English-speaking world"
396:
381:
349:
313:
147:
143:
692:
469:
387:
Small communities of native English speakers can be found in
373:
268:
political and social institutions of Commonwealth countries.
760:"New Zealand English: Origins, Relationships, and Prospects"
422:, and remarked that the country sought closer ties with the
407:
317:
746:
Standards of English: Codified Varieties Around the World
150:. Rwanda, a Commonwealth country, was never part of the
253:
influences it inherited along with the development of
226:, and may rely on those produced in other countries.
468:. Among the partitioned post-independent countries,
48:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
992:
646:New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
1397:
686:
360:with native varieties of English. A distinctive
328:(McArthur, p. 36); most of them inherited
978:
446:still enjoys status as an official language.
412:2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
821:Accents of English: Beyond the British Isles
582:
399:; the dialects spoken are similar to native
204:
985:
971:
573:Community of Portuguese Language Countries
932:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
751:
364:, often with significant influences from
108:Learn how and when to remove this message
1121:Association of Commonwealth Universities
1088:Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
773:(1). Sweden: Linnaeus University: 8–14.
312:Second-language varieties of English in
133:
121:
57:"English in the Commonwealth of Nations"
352:inventory is much simpler than that of
307:
292:, plus localised influences from other
1411:Symbols of the Commonwealth of Nations
1398:
1141:Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
883:
877:
857:
757:
449:
966:
814:
748:. Cambridge University Press. p. 159.
930:The Cambridge Guide to English Usage
504:
46:adding citations to reliable sources
17:
917:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
279:is influenced by the English-based
229:
130:and Crown Dependencies (light blue)
13:
1146:Commonwealth War Graves Commission
524:; it features some influence from
14:
1422:
915:The Oxford Guide to World English
851:
622:from the original on 7 March 2022
372:, is spoken in countries such as
723:. Oxford University Press. 2016.
456:Englishisation § South Asia
22:
332:from Southern British English.
33:needs additional citations for
858:Lawson, Alice (24 June 2022).
808:
727:
713:
659:
634:
604:
1:
1324:Commonwealth Youth Parliament
1136:Commonwealth Games Federation
1126:Commonwealth Business Council
597:
1385:Visits by Queen Elizabeth II
1070:Commonwealth Youth Programme
884:Eoyang, Eugene Chen (2000).
829:10.1017/cbo9780511611766.006
556:EF English Proficiency Index
460:English was introduced into
434:
414:, Togolese Foreign Minister
271:
128:British Overseas Territories
7:
1319:Commonwealth Writers' Prize
946:& Hannah, Jean (2002).
539:
166:was largely inherited from
10:
1427:
1060:Deputy Secretaries-General
950:; 4th ed. London: Arnold.
815:Wells, J. C., ed. (1982),
612:"Joining the Commonwealth"
453:
444:the English language there
1365:
1286:
1243:
1111:
1078:
1027:
1001:
817:"The southern hemisphere"
735:Standard Canadian English
672:Oxford English Dictionary
356:; this sometimes affects
335:
1342:Commonwealth citizenship
1103:Ministerial Action Group
1035:Head of the Commonwealth
779:10.58221/mosp.v94i1.9625
203:but is widely used as a
1131:Commonwealth Foundation
994:Commonwealth of Nations
733:Boberg, Charles (2004)
721:New Oxford Style Manual
510:Southeast Asian English
429:
744:." In Raymond Hickey.
667:"Commonwealth English"
583:
561:English-speaking world
532:languages, as well as
358:mutual intelligibility
354:Received Pronunciation
320:have often undergone "
205:
164:Commonwealth countries
162:in current and former
155:
131:
1347:Commonwealth diaspora
1273:Commonwealth republic
758:Bayard, Donn (2000).
740:11 April 2023 at the
401:South African English
362:North African English
247:South African English
137:
125:
1329:Round Table movement
928:Peters, Pam (2004).
578:Dutch Language Union
410:'s admission at the
342:West African English
340:Several dialects of
308:Non-native varieties
183:Commonwealth English
168:British colonisation
42:improve this article
1406:Dialects of English
1253:Membership criteria
1113:Commonwealth Family
1080:Heads of government
498:South Asian English
490:Bangladeshi English
450:Indian subcontinent
243:New Zealand English
235:Southern Hemisphere
199:, it does not have
1357:King's Baton Relay
1299:Commonwealth Games
1268:Commonwealth realm
1258:Special membership
642:"The Commonwealth"
486:Sri Lankan English
380:, particularly in
239:Australian English
156:
132:
1393:
1392:
1309:Commonwealth Flag
1278:High Commissioner
1065:Marlborough House
1054:Patricia Scotland
1050:Secretary-General
838:978-0-521-28541-4
518:Malaysian English
514:Singapore English
505:Malay Archipelago
482:Pakistani English
290:African languages
277:Caribbean English
118:
117:
110:
92:
1418:
1314:Commonwealth Day
1294:English language
987:
980:
973:
964:
963:
902:
901:
881:
875:
874:
872:
870:
855:
849:
848:
847:
845:
812:
806:
805:
803:
801:
764:
755:
749:
731:
725:
724:
717:
711:
710:
690:
684:
683:
681:
679:
663:
657:
656:
654:
652:
638:
632:
631:
629:
627:
608:
588:
567:Other languages:
551:American English
462:the subcontinent
424:Anglophone world
261:Canadian English
230:Native varieties
216:American English
210:
176:the Commonwealth
160:English language
113:
106:
102:
99:
93:
91:
50:
26:
18:
1426:
1425:
1421:
1420:
1419:
1417:
1416:
1415:
1396:
1395:
1394:
1389:
1380:Prime ministers
1361:
1335:The Round Table
1282:
1239:
1148:
1107:
1093:Chair-in-Office
1074:
1023:
997:
991:
961:
944:Trudgill, Peter
906:
905:
882:
878:
868:
866:
856:
852:
843:
841:
839:
813:
809:
799:
797:
762:
756:
752:
742:Wayback Machine
732:
728:
719:
718:
714:
707:
691:
687:
677:
675:
665:
664:
660:
650:
648:
640:
639:
635:
625:
623:
610:
609:
605:
600:
546:British English
542:
507:
494:Myanmar English
458:
452:
437:
432:
366:Bantu languages
338:
310:
274:
232:
201:official status
192:British English
158:The use of the
114:
103:
97:
94:
51:
49:
39:
27:
12:
11:
5:
1424:
1414:
1413:
1408:
1391:
1390:
1388:
1387:
1382:
1377:
1375:Extreme points
1371:
1369:
1363:
1362:
1360:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1290:
1288:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1249:
1247:
1241:
1240:
1238:
1237:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1117:
1115:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1105:
1100:
1090:
1084:
1082:
1076:
1075:
1073:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1047:
1042:
1031:
1029:
1025:
1024:
1022:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1009:British Empire
1005:
1003:
999:
998:
990:
989:
982:
975:
967:
960:
959:
941:
926:
907:
904:
903:
876:
850:
837:
807:
750:
726:
712:
705:
685:
658:
633:
602:
601:
599:
596:
595:
594:
589:
580:
575:
564:
563:
558:
553:
548:
541:
538:
534:Indian English
522:Brunei English
506:
503:
474:Indian English
451:
448:
436:
433:
431:
428:
346:syllable-timed
337:
334:
322:indigenisation
309:
306:
298:syllable-timed
273:
270:
231:
228:
172:common culture
152:British Empire
116:
115:
30:
28:
21:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1423:
1412:
1409:
1407:
1404:
1403:
1401:
1386:
1383:
1381:
1378:
1376:
1373:
1372:
1370:
1368:
1364:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1336:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1291:
1289:
1285:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1250:
1248:
1246:
1242:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1114:
1110:
1104:
1101:
1098:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1081:
1077:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1055:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1040:
1036:
1033:
1032:
1030:
1026:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1014:Key documents
1012:
1010:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1000:
995:
988:
983:
981:
976:
974:
969:
968:
965:
957:
956:0-340-80834-9
953:
949:
945:
942:
939:
938:0-521-62181-X
935:
931:
927:
924:
923:0-19-866248-3
920:
916:
912:
911:McArthur, Tom
909:
908:
899:
895:
891:
887:
880:
865:
861:
854:
840:
834:
830:
826:
822:
818:
811:
796:
792:
788:
784:
780:
776:
772:
768:
767:Moderna Språk
761:
754:
747:
743:
739:
736:
730:
722:
716:
708:
706:9783110184181
702:
698:
697:
689:
674:
673:
668:
662:
647:
643:
637:
621:
617:
613:
607:
603:
593:
590:
587:
586:
581:
579:
576:
574:
571:
570:
569:
568:
562:
559:
557:
554:
552:
549:
547:
544:
543:
537:
535:
531:
527:
523:
519:
515:
511:
502:
499:
495:
491:
487:
483:
479:
475:
471:
467:
463:
457:
447:
445:
441:
427:
425:
421:
417:
416:Robert Dussey
413:
409:
404:
402:
398:
394:
390:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
367:
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
343:
333:
331:
330:non-rhoticity
327:
326:New Englishes
323:
319:
315:
305:
303:
299:
295:
291:
287:
286:Irish English
282:
278:
269:
266:
262:
258:
257:from Dutch).
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
227:
225:
221:
217:
212:
209:
208:
207:lingua franca
202:
198:
194:
193:
188:
185:
184:
179:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
153:
149:
145:
141:
136:
129:
124:
120:
112:
109:
101:
90:
87:
83:
80:
76:
73:
69:
66:
62:
59: –
58:
54:
53:Find sources:
47:
43:
37:
36:
31:This article
29:
25:
20:
19:
16:
1334:
1293:
947:
929:
914:
889:
879:
867:. Retrieved
863:
853:
842:, retrieved
820:
810:
798:. Retrieved
770:
766:
753:
745:
729:
720:
715:
695:
688:
676:. Retrieved
670:
661:
649:. Retrieved
645:
636:
624:. Retrieved
616:Commonwealth
615:
606:
585:Francophonie
566:
565:
508:
459:
438:
405:
386:
339:
325:
311:
302:stress-timed
300:rather than
275:
265:Canadianisms
259:
233:
224:style guides
220:dictionaries
213:
190:
182:
181:
180:
157:
138:English and
119:
104:
95:
85:
78:
71:
64:
52:
40:Please help
35:verification
32:
15:
1352:LGBT rights
1097:Paul Kagame
1045:Secretariat
1039:Charles III
592:Latin Union
466:British Raj
140:Kinyarwanda
1400:Categories
1263:Suspension
1028:Governance
890:Profession
598:References
512:comprises
478:South Asia
454:See also:
348:, and its
98:March 2019
68:newspapers
892:: 62–74.
795:254175799
787:2000-3560
651:8 January
440:Hong Kong
435:Hong Kong
406:Prior to
272:Caribbean
255:Afrikaans
1019:Timeline
913:(2002).
898:25595704
738:Archived
626:27 March
620:Archived
540:See also
393:Botswana
389:Zimbabwe
378:Tanzania
368:such as
294:colonial
142:text in
1337:Journal
1304:Symbols
1287:Culture
1245:Members
1002:History
864:Reuters
844:17 June
800:24 July
530:Chinese
480:, e.g.
464:by the
420:English
397:Namibia
382:Nairobi
370:Swahili
350:phoneme
82:scholar
996:topics
954:
936:
921:
896:
869:1 July
835:
793:
785:
703:
520:, and
395:, and
336:Africa
314:Africa
288:, and
281:Creole
197:Cyprus
187:refers
148:Rwanda
144:Kigali
84:
77:
70:
63:
55:
1367:Lists
894:JSTOR
791:S2CID
763:(PDF)
678:7 May
526:Malay
470:India
374:Kenya
251:Dutch
89:JSTOR
75:books
1230:ROSL
1220:RCEL
1205:CSFP
1195:CPSU
1190:CLGF
1175:CJIA
1170:CHRI
1150:BECM
952:ISBN
934:ISBN
919:ISBN
871:2022
846:2024
833:ISBN
802:2010
783:ISSN
701:ISBN
680:2024
653:2024
628:2022
528:and
492:and
430:Asia
408:Togo
318:Asia
316:and
241:and
222:and
61:news
1235:SSI
1225:RCS
1215:ICS
1210:ESU
1200:CPU
1185:CLA
1180:CoL
1165:CET
1160:CBA
1155:CAP
825:doi
775:doi
376:or
174:of
44:by
1402::
888:.
862:.
831:,
819:,
789:.
781:.
771:94
769:.
765:.
669:.
644:.
618:.
614:.
536:.
516:,
496:.
488:,
484:,
426:.
403:.
391:,
304:.
178:.
146:,
1099:)
1095:(
1056:)
1052:(
1041:)
1037:(
986:e
979:t
972:v
958:.
940:.
925:.
900:.
873:.
827::
804:.
777::
709:.
682:.
655:.
630:.
154:.
111:)
105:(
100:)
96:(
86:·
79:·
72:·
65:·
38:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.