This essay is an overview of the theoretical, methodological, pedagogical, ideological, and power-related issues of world Englishes: varieties of English used in diverse sociolinguistic contexts. The scholars in this field have critically examined theoretical and methodological frameworks of language use based on western, essentially monolingual and monocultural, frameworks of linguistic science and replaced them with frameworks that are faithful to multilingualism and language variation. This conceptual shift affords a "pluricentric" view of English, which represents diverse sociolinguistic histories, multicultural identities, multiple norms of use and acquisition, and distinct contexts of function. The implications of this shift for learning and teaching world Englishes are critically reviewed in the final sections of this essay.
The author reflects on the use of acronyms, jargon, and terminology in electronic engineering. According to the author, terminology is a very significant issue since a common language is vital for the proper exchange of information, particularly when a new technology is developed. The author believes that many of the terms for the various devices were developed given the fact that the technology involved is old and established. (Description provided by EBSCO.)