Country Analysis of English in China

Your assignment is to write up an analysis of English in China. As McKay notes, English is the most frequently learned second language in the world and frequently serves as a language of contact between people when neither speaks English as a first language. English, then, plays a role in most nations, and we have already heard about the roles and purposes of English in Australia (from Dr. Sharifian’s lecture), Vietnam (Phan article) and Singapore, Malaysia (from the McKay text). For this assignment, choose a country of interest to you and analyze the role of English in that country.

In your analysis, attend to these questions:

* How did English come to China? Track the history of English in China..

* What are the status and role(s) of English in China?

* Identify the purposes English serves in China.

* Which, if any, of Kachru’s circles describes English in China?

* Who speaks English in China? Explain who learns English and who does not.

* What varieties of English are prevalent / present in China?

* Who teaches English in China?

* What else is notable about English here?

You should use reliable sources for your analysis and cite those sources where appropriate. Reliable sources are those vetted by experts in the field, such as academic journals and texts. Wikipedia can be a helpful resource, but because the information presented there is crowd-sourced (and not necessarily by experts in the field), you should verify any information you get from Wikipedia (or other websites) using a reliable, expert source such as an academic journal or book. Please include a reference list with your analysis.