Editorial: Invitation To Submit An Expression Of Interest Special Issue On Norms Of English In Malaysia

Asian Englishes are expanding their domain and outreach, and show complex interactions with major varieties of English (especially in the U.K. and U.S.A.), with English as an International Language, and with the national languages of each country. In Malaysia, English is in many respects functioning as a co-national language with Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) in many respects. This national variety of English is actually a highly diverse and variable code, from something very close to British English in formal written usage to varieties which show heavy influence from Bahasa Malaysia. To what extent is Malaysian English driven by norms, what are they, and how are they shaping the direction of Malaysian English? How does this relate to language policy, educational policy, and differing patterns of the use of English in Malaysia? Where do these norms reside, how are they applied, and what are the attitudes of users of English in Malaysia to the different varieties of English which they encounter?