English is the language that you’ve learned (or are learning) and English vocabulary is what we focus on here at The Vocabulary Builder’s Blog. We’re concerned primarily with standard English as it’s spoken in the countries where it’s the native language, but there are many different varieties of English spoken around the world. The International Association for World Englishes (IAWE) was established in 1992 to study the way English is spoken and used in different societies, how cultures adapt English to their own native languages, and the ways these different Englishes are similar and different. The IAWE holds regular global conferences, and publishes a journal in which you can find articles such as “The international comprehensibility of varieties of South African English” and “English as economic value: facts and fallacies.”

Because English is, more or less, the “global” language today, it’s important for the IAWE to study how regional Englishes relate to standard English. As we’ve pointed out in other posts, speaking English doesn’t mean you’ll be immediately understood by other English speakers, if the vocabulary or syntax you use doesn’t match exactly with what they’ve learned. For the purposes of analyzing patterns and structures of various Englishes, there are three types of English-speaking populations:

Those who live where English is spoken as the native tongue because that’s where it originated, and also where large groups of such people migrated (British Isles, North America, Australia)

Those who live where English is spoken as a widespread second or “official” language, usually in former British colonies (India, Kenya, Hong Kong)

Those who live where English is used for purposes of global business and communication, but where few people speak it otherwise

Differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and speech patterns can make these different Englishes into what might seem like entirely different languages. One thing that can help you adjust to the differences is to practice listening to English as it is spoken by people from different countries. The BBC is an excellent place to start, whether you listen on the radio, over the internet, or via satellite television. Although they’re known for their broadcasts in multiple international languages, you can also find many programs in English that contain interviews with people whose first language is not English. It’s instructive to tune in to these radio programs, and tune your ears to the different sounds of global Englishes.