Kachru wrote that the Inner circle, with regards to English language conventions, was “norm-providing”, while the Outer and Expanding circles were “norm-developing” and “norm-dependent”. Rather than see it as a deficient model, English speakers locally and internationally can not only expand their vocabulary, but promote globalisation as a system owned by the many, not the few.īraj Kahru, in his circles of English model, described three concentric circles of English: the Inner, which were the traditional bases of English such as the USA and UK the Outer, which were countries with a historical and institutional relationship with English such as India, Bangladesh, Kenya, and the Expanding, which were countries with no previous relationship with English. While it may seem trivial, in what follows, I want to argue that recognising the existence and validity of Myanma English is important for cultural recognition in a global world as well as for individuals’ sense of self. There are also a few noticeable grammatical idioms, such as the use of the word “ever” as an adjective of frequency, synonymous with “always”.

There are also idiosyncratic uses of traditional English words to describe cultural objects: linecar, sidecar, tea money, fancy shop. Words taken from Burmese such as chinlone, hluttaw, thanaka, saya, sayama, thakin, anyeint, pwe, zat, nat, longyi, thamein, paso, gaungbaung, padauk, kantkaw, and anar, regularly pepper English conversations in Myanmar. Myanma English mostly expresses itself through the rich addition of new vocabulary to the English language. When languages interact with cultures, they produce, quite spontaneously, new and idiomatic ways of communicating. Though perhaps not as distinct as Indian English, American English or British English, conceptually, it is no different. Simply put, Myanma English is a variety of English with a Myanma flavour. Ewan Cameron argues for the validity of ‘Myanma English’ in a global world.

Myanmar language translate to english