Chinese Englishes: A Sociolinguistic History

Studies in English Language

by Kingsley Bolton

Kingsley Bolton uses early word lists, satirical cartoons and data from journals and memoirs to uncover the forgotten history of English in China, from the arrival of the first English-speaking traders in the early seventeenth century to the present. Demonstrating how contemporary Hong Kong English has its historical roots in Chinese pidgin English, the book considers the changing status of English in mainland China over time, particularly recent developments since 1997.

Genres: China, Linguistics

356 pages, Hardcover

First published December 8, 2003

Reviews

[RdWd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise yet thorough history of the contact between English and various Chinese languages and dialects. It covers a good 300+ years of interplay between the languages, with a heavy focus upon the Hong Kong region, arguing that there is a distinct variety of Hong Kong English developing.

Perhaps a little dated now in 2015, but a valuable resource, coming with reprinted glossaries from centuries past as well as a contemporary glossary.