World Englishes

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Gunnel Melchers (University of Stockholm, Sweden) Philip Shaw (University of Stockholm, Sweden)

World Englishes

Gunnel Melchers (University of Stockholm, Sweden), Philip Shaw (University of Stockholm, Sweden), Peter Sundkvist

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English

Routledge
29 December 2025

Language: history & general works; Sociolinguistics

The fourth edition of World Englishes provides an engaging overview of the global variations in phonology, grammar, vocabulary, and pragmatics of English as it is used world-wide. This book introduces the principles of linguistic variation and provides coverage on the roots of English, the spread of English, variations of English as a second language, and trends for the future.

Thoroughly updated throughout in line with recent research, this new edition includes:

Updated online support material including 58 audio examples of speakers of native (25) and of non-native (33) English reflecting the global variety of the language, available to download New sections on recent models of World Englishes and on vocabulary management dealing with inclusive language Improved and updated descriptions of foreign-language varieties, now including Arabic and Spanish English Additional exercises for the accompanying audio files and new reflective questions online

Offering a thorough and detailed descriptive account of all the main varieties of English across the globe, World Englishes also provides a balanced discussion of political issues and the sociolinguistic background to variation in English, spoken and written, face-to-face, on paper and online, in the twenty-first century. This book is essential reading for students approaching this topic for the first time.

By: Gunnel Melchers (University of Stockholm Sweden), Philip Shaw (University of Stockholm, Sweden), Peter Sundkvist
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: 4th edition
Dimensions: Height: 246mm, Width: 174mm,
Weight: 453g
ISBN: 9781032693460
ISBN 10: 1032693460
Pages: 246
Publication Date: 29 December 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

The late Gunnel Melchers was Professor Emerita in the English Department at Stockholm University. Her research was devoted to regional and social variation, with special reference to the north of England and Scotland’s Northern Isles. Philip Shaw is Professor Emeritus in the Department of English at Stockholm University. He is co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of English for Academic Purposes (2016) and Student Plagiarism in Higher Education: Reflections on Teaching Practice (Routledge 2018). Peter Sundkvist is Professor in the English Department at Stockholm University. His research is in the areas of English and Germanic phonetics and phonology. He is the author of The Shetland Dialect (Routledge 2020).

Reviews for World Englishes

""I have used the third edition of this book in my World Englishes class for years, and I look forward to using the fourth, which provides the latest updates on research and recent developments on the ground in varieties of English, including discussion and examples of even more varieties such as Spanish and Arabic English. Students appreciate the accessibility of the text: clear and comprehensible writing, a glossary, and numerous examples both in the text and in supplemental online recordings to exemplify their points. I appreciate the tools for teaching, including focus and review questions, and references for further reading which students use in their projects. We all appreciate the breadth of coverage, and the fourth edition is the most comprehensive World Englishes text out there. Shaw and Sundqvist cover every aspect of formal linguistics, providing the background necessary to use linguistic terms accurately, while also not neglecting history, geography, and sociolinguistics. The fourth edition of this textbook provides everything a student and instructor would want"" -Caroline Wiltshire, University of Florida ""A most welcome update of a well-established textbook: The 4th edition of World Englishes maintains the perfect balance between comprehensive coverage and accessibity that has made this introduction so popular and brings it up to date on the lastest developments in English as a Lingua Franca and variational pragmatics."" -Christian Mair, Universität Freiburg