What can – or should – writers, editors, and usage critics do about actual and perceived errors in print? A reply by Tom McArthur to Bryan A. Garner's article ‘A Texas Fowler?’ in ET64 (Oct 00) that seeks to widen the issues.

Pam Peters of Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia, provides the second part of a two-part concluding review of a project which is an important contribution to the creation of her prospective international English style guide (to be published by Cambridge University Press).

A description of ‘the mantle of communication ... extended around the planet’

The new perceptions afforded by the era of telecommunications may be compared to those of the Renaissance or the Enlightenment. That the world is a globe, or that blood circulates around the body, became obvious only a few centuries ago...as it now becomes apparent that all spoken and written languages form an organic continuum, a global medium for human communication and the circulation of ideas.

The continuity of communication between communities in contact has always been maintained by those who speak more than one language, by those whose brains have attempted to bridge the differences of viewpoint and expression embodied in the use of differing languages by different communities. It is only in modern times, however, that networks of bilingual links among thousands of speech communities around the world can be seen in global perspective. The ancient continuum of multilingual speech is becoming a system of immediate worldwide communication.

An account from Jordan of an ‘elitist’ phenomenon that is spreading elsewhere in Asia.

This study explores the reasons and conditions which have recently led a substantial number of families to hire private tutors of English for their sons and/or daughters studying science and technology through English in Jordanian state universities.

Rakesh Chaudhary opens a window on hybridization in Hyderabad, the capital of the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, in the trendy market area called Nampally.

An examination of the culture, identity and function of English in Singapore.

The widespread use of English in Singapore has placed Singapore in the Outer Circle, along with India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines and others, in contrast with Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and others who belong to the Inner Circle (Kachru,1991). Placing countries in different circles – inner vs outer or expanding, based on the concept of nativization – has generated questions of democracy in linguistic ideology and related issues of norms and standards. These are discussed.

This paper aims to examine the features which make Malaysian English a distinctive variety of English. Firstly, its origins and development will be discussed before briefly considering different types of Malaysian English. This will be followed by an analysis of the linguistic characteristics, with a particular emphasis on lexical features. Finally, the current status of Malaysian English will be assessed whilst reflecting on its possible position and role in the future.

A discussion of language choices in a multilingual region of Malaysia.

Sarawak is a Malaysian state located on the island of Borneo. More than 20 languages are spoken there among only 1.99 million people in Sarawak. People who visit Sarawak for the first time are often baffled and intrigued by the diversity of languages and the ease with which Sarawakians switch between them. To add to the complexity of language choice, there is also some competition between English and Standard Malay for dominance in language use.

This paper considers the reasons for the complex language scenario in Sarawak, the social implications of language choices, and the important personal characteristics to consider in making language choices.

Reviews of Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English, and Language Death, by David Crystal