English in Bangladesh
Today, there is no one single English. There are so many Englishes. Asian Englishes belong to the outer circle where English is spoken as a second language (B kachru 2005). With Asian Englishes, we mean the variety of English spoken in the Asian continent in which it is first introduced as a colonial language. English is well entrenched, has many native speakers , and fulfills several functions. However, there is an ongoing debate concerning the presence of English language in Asia. The debate revolves around the language that is in Asia, but not of Asia (Kachru 2005). There is a huge number of English speakers in the countries of this region such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In these countries English is no longer viewed as a colonial legacy. Rather it is considered as a language of power, prestige, and social mobility. It is also considered as a lingua of the different spoken language and mother tongues of the region. English is present in Asia, especially in south Asia, for more than 200 years which led to the nativisation of English in these countries (Kachru 2005). According to Kachru “The spread of English in South Asia may be considered in the contexts of (1) multilingualism, (2) language policy in education, (3) the use of English in the media, and (4) literary creativity ….(Kachru 2006, p. 91)”. Bangladesh is a south Asian country. The presence of English language in this country dates back to the introduction of British East India Company to the Indian subcontinent. At that time Britain colonized the subcontinent, and the function of English was that of the colonizer .Later it served as a lingua franca in Bangladesh which was a part of the territory of Pakistan. Today English serves as a second language in the county although some consider it as a foreign language. The sole official language in Bangladesh is Bengali. However, English plays a pivotal role in some sectors within the country such as media, education, and economy. In addition, Bangladeshi English Exhibits some phonological features which differ from other Englishes of the world. As the case with other Englishes spoken in the region such as India and Pakistan, Bangladeshi English is influenced by the spoken dialects of Bangladesh. This influence is depicted through the way Bangladeshi people speak the English language.
Hassan Ouakrim, Spring 2017
Photo used under Creative Commons from ASaber91