Hi Shizuka,

Yes, that’s essentially it, but to go a little further, sometimes communities, schools and teachers that aren’t directly exposed to native English will develop errors into their own language systems that get taught and passed on. This isn’t a case of ESL being purposefully different, but a result of breaks in communication (i.e. if such schools/teachers have no opportunity to learn the more correct forms). If such a community is isolated from other English speakers and everyone learns the same errors, it might not really matter to them that they are technically not speaking native English, and so the incorrect form spreads almost as its own language (as creoles and pidgin languages would develop; eventually it is no longer incorrect English, but a particular community’s own way of communicating).

Hi Phil,

Ah I see. In other words, while the English as taught in ESL is indeed the same language (in all aspects of the language whether it be grammar, syntax etc) as British/American English which is taught in the UK/US respectively, its more of the way of teaching the language which may differ between English taught under ESL and English as taught in mainstream schools in UK/US, but again, the key thing is that it is still the same English Language with no difference (in terms of critical aspects of the English Language such as grammar, syntax, sentence structure etc), correct?

Thanks!

Regards,
Shizuka

Hi Shizuka, that’s a good question that doesn’t have a really simple answer. The goal of ESL is to help foreign learners speak English as English-speakers use it, though a lot of the time the more basic courses will focus on survival English rather than a solid understanding or fluent use. This may lead to ‘rules’ that are offered as shortcuts, so sometimes ESL students are taught certain rigid ways of speaking that purposefully avoid more natural linguist use (which can become more complicated to resolve; I’ve had teachers complain that some of the more flexible lessons on this site have led to confusion in their classrooms for this reason). However, though these inconsistencies may occur, the aim is still to teach British or US English, not some other form.

There are two key things that go beyond this though: firstly, English as taught to foreign learners is very different to English as taught to English-speakers, not because the language is different but because the need is different. After a certain level, English-speakers are taught more about literature and analysis, rather than about parts of speech and grammar etc., because language use comes more naturally to English speakers. The knowledge of how it works is given a low priority – you may find English speakers with degrees in English, for example, who couldn’t tell you what a subordinate clause is. This does not mean they don’t follow the same rules as ESL, however, it’s just that they are instinctual rather than taught for English-speakers; so often ESL students will come away with a different education, though the aim is to talk the same.

The second difference, however, is that a huge population of ESL teachers and speakers are not native speakers and may never have much to do with native speakers. This is true in many areas of the world where English is used as a lingua franca, and in these cases it does adapt to fit the communities that use it. In these cases, where native speakers aren’t involved, different rules may indeed emerge, without ever being corrected. These shouldn’t necessarily be accepted, but it’s possible no one will notice that it’s not native English speech, so different rules and patterns may indeed emerge. Still, however, the aim would be to produce English close to native usage.

I hope this answers your question?

Phil

I was discussing with a friend the other day about English as a Second Language (ESL) when my friend claimed that the English Language (i.e. that is the entire language including its parts of speech, syntax, grammar etc) is different from the mainstream English as taught in countries (such as UK and US) where English is the native language. This runs contrary to my understanding hence I thought of seeking your advice – is it true that English under ESL is different (in terms of parts of speech, syntax, grammar etc) from the English Language as taught in UK (british english) and US (american english)? If so, wouldn’t this then make ESL English a distinct language or even a dialect as compared to UK English and US English?

Regards,
Shizuka