Introduction

This book investigates issues relating to linguistic varieties of Englishes across the world, particularly as they relate to notions of national, regional and social identities. As such, it differs from other studies into the relationship between language and identity, in that it offers an extended perspective on the issue of identity in different varieties of Englishes across the globe. Studies of the relationship between language and identity tend to be interdisciplinary in nature, and such an approach is not without its difficulties. This is because it involves integrating different disciplines in considering relationships between linguistic variation, society and identity (Bucholtz & Hall 2005, 2008). The perspectives discussed in this book inter weave macro analysis of ideological processes, micro analysis of conversations and linguistic styling. In so doing, they form an account of identity construction as social practice In addition, they include consideration of the quantitative and qualitative analysis of linguistic structures with an ethnographic focus on local cultural practices and social groupings (Heller 2011). Such an approach, as Bucholtz and Hall (2005: 607) point out: ‘… calls attention to the fact that identity in all its complexity can never be contained within a single analysis’. For this reason, they argue for a reorientation of sociocultural linguistics to be configured broadly and inclusively. This book is so configured. It takes a broad and inclusive approach to what has been called variously sociocultural linguistics or identity linguistics, or my preferred term, sociodiscursive linguistics. A book of this kind cannot help but touch upon issues relating to language acquisition, bilingualism, multilingualism and the teaching of English worldwide. Nevertheless, these topics are not the primary focus of the book.