ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses more on variation and leakage within a language. It also focuses on variation in time and space, mostly in English but also in French. Linguistic variation is inherent to all languages or varieties. The chapter illustrates it with reference to global languages such as English and French. However, this should not give the impression that variation is a modern phenomenon related to postcolonialism and globalization. On the contrary, variation has always existed in all languages, however small they are. It is just that this particular focus allows to explore different ways of conceptualizing the global spread of English, and how it has led to the development of new varieties such as Singlish. Similar developments have occurred with French, and the examples are Nouchi, a hybrid urban language of Côte d'Ivoire, and Verlan, a youth language spoken in the banlieues of French cities. The chapter provides how youth languages have spread via hip hop music and media discourse.
