English as an international language and ‘Japanese english’

Abstract

We are a social animal. We grow up by socialization and in the process we acquire beliefs, worldviews, values, attitudes and other social norms and cultural traditions which are shared by members of the society, and which are reinforced through the family, the school, the workplace and others. These are reflected in the way we use language - what we choose to say or not to say, and how we say it. Sharing social conven tions and norms of social appropriateness leads us to build our identity as members of the society, despite the fact that each of us is hetero geneous and constantly changing.