Introduction to week 5

DARREN PAFFEY: Hello, and welcome to this new fifth week in the course, Understanding Language. We’ve added an extra week to this run of the course because we want you to become part of our research community here at the University of Southampton. We want you to help us shape the future of English language research. This week, Professor Jennifer Jenkins and her research team at Southampton will update you on some of the latest research and thinking in the area of Global Englishes and English as a Lingua Franca. You’ll get an idea of what it’s like to be a researcher at the Center for Global Englishes and what kinds of activities the team are involved with throughout the year.

Finally, we’ll tell you about a research project that we’re currently working on and that we’d like you to become involved with by contributing vital information from wherever you are in the world. We’d like to know about English language policy in your countries, as well as your own attitudes towards the English language. We hope that you’ll share your ideas and experience with us. And we look forward to seeing you become part of our research community. And if you don’t wish to take part in the project, then don’t worry. We still look forward to hearing your comments in our discussion areas.