The English language exists in a broad range of varieties around the world. These include older varieties in Britain and Ireland, settler varieties in the USA and Canada as well as in the Southern Hemisphere (South Africa, Australia and New Zealand). There are also forms of English which go back to pidgins and creoles or which are based on English as a second language. The latter group is especially important in contemporary Africa and Asia.

The study of these varieties from a historical, geographical and social perspective is the primary concern of this section of English linguistics at Essen. Students are invited to get to know this exciting area by browsing through our online resources English Linguistics in Essen, Studying Varieties of English and Studying the History of English . There are many things to discover, the pathways which language change can take, the interaction of foreign cultures and the English language, the manner in which social behaviour and attitudes affect the way people use English, in the core countries Britain and America but also in others which have newer vibrant forms of the English language which are definitely worth exploring.