spoken english, broken english
TRANSCRIPT
SPOKEN ENGLISHBROKEN ENGLISH
WHAT IS BROKEN ENGLISH?
Broken English is a poorly spoken or ill-written version of the English language used by a non-native speaker.
Broken English may be fragmented, incomplete, and/or marked by faulty syntax and inappropriate diction.
BROKEN ENGLISH IN NIGERIA
Abeg[Ah-beg]1. PleaseEx: Abeg make we go store. (Let’s go to the store please.)
Chop[Chop]1. To eatEx: You wan chop? (Do you want to eat?)
Wahala[Wah-ha-lah]1. ProblemEx: No wahala, I go move. (No problem, I’ll move)2. TroubleEx: Wahala dey come. (Trouble is coming.)
BROKEN ENGLISH IN AUSTRALIA
“– G’day, mate. Are you playing footy today? - No, I’m going to a Barbie at a bush station. There’ll be plenty of the amber fluid, and the tucker’s bronzer. Why don’t you come too? - Ta, I’m busy in the arvo. I’m going to see my Sheila. She’s crook. - Well, good on yer, mate.”
Australian
English
Standard
English- Good day, friend. Are you playing
football today?- No, I’m going to a barbecue in the
countryside. There’ll be a lot of beer and the food is very good. Why don’t you come too?
- Thank you, I’m busy in the afternoon. I’m going to see my girlfriend. She is ill.
- Well, good luck, friend.
BROKEN ENGLISH IN LITERATURE
For example, in Henry V, William Shakespeare used broken English in Katherine’s speech. When Henry himself last implores the French princess Katherine to marry him, knowing that her command of the English language is limited, he says to her:
“Come, your answer in broken music; for thy voice is music and thy English broken; therefore, queen of all, Katherine, break thy mind to me in broken English".
In literature, broken English is often used to depict the foreignness of a character, or that character's lack of intelligence or education. However, poets have also intentionally used broken English to create a desired artistic impression
BROKEN ENGLISH IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
BROKEN ENGLISH IN UKRAINE