Exploring World Englishes
A special issue of Languages (ISSN 2226-471X).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2025 | Viewed by 582
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
World Englishes has been an extremely productive and informative enterprise, combining sociolinguistic research with aspects of literary and cultural studies, and providing a wide canvas for the design and creation of knowledge about the English language in its historical development, including its variation across geographies and change across time. The concentric circles of Englishes (Kachru, 1983 and after) has been the most influential framework within the discipline, helping anchor both field research and hermeneutical discussions.
A significant portion of world Englishes scholarship has focuses on profiles of users across the world (e.g., Friedrich, 2000 and Dimova, 2005) and/or applications of teaching and learning English(es) as, for example, in Matsuda and Friedrich (2011). In this Special Issue, we will take the scope of world Englishes to a broader level. Of consequence here are: the many uses of world Englishes scholarship in other disciplines; the online universe; and aspects of other disciplines of social consequence such as disability studies, medical humanities, digital humanities, peace studies, forensic science, literary studies (including that involving mixed media), and anthropology. Therefore, we invite contributors to propose submissions that will explore world Englishes beyond more traditional areas and into the world of the multi-faceted lived experience in the twenty-first century. The goal is to explore world Englishes in all their richness but also to show how prevalent their influence is across different areas of knowledge sometimes unbeknownst to researchers there. Focus on a particular geographical area or areas is as welcome as more global discussions.
We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 400–600 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editors or to the Languages Editorial Office ([email protected]). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.
References
Dimova, S. English in Macedonia. World Englishes 2005, 24, 187–202.
Friedrich, P. English in Brazil: functions and attitudes. World Englishes 2000, 19, 215–223.
Kachru, B. B. Models for non-native Englishes. World Englishes: Critical Concepts in linguistics 1983, 4, 108–130.
Matsuda, A. and Friedrich, P. English as an International Language: a curriculum blueprint. World Englishes 2011, 30, 332–344.
Prof. Dr. Patricia Friedrich
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Languages is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- world Englishes
- sociolinguistics
- applied linguistics
- concentric circles of English
- humanities
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.
