The English of The Sleeping Lady: An exploration of the historical and current influences on the English of Kosrae

Kosrae, or ‘The Island of The Sleeping Lady’ as it is known to locals, is the most remote island of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), located in the western Pacific. FSM is an independent sovereign nation consisting of four state in total: Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap and Kosrae. First claimed by the Spanish, who were forced to cede FSM to Germany in 1899. In 1914, the Japanese took military possession of the region resulting in considerable economic, social and political change for the islands’ inhabitants. By 1947 after WWII, the islands formed part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands commissioned by the UN and administered by the US. The FSM became an independent nation in 1986 while still retaining affiliation with the US under a ‘Compact of Free Association’ encouraging the officiating of English as a language of FSM, alongside local languages. Here I examine the presence and uses of English in Kosrae with reference to these socio-historical influences. First, I discuss the extralinguistic factors which have shaped the English that is currently found on Kosrae. Secondly, I assess the use of English in this community in light of Schneider’s (2007) ‘Dynamic Model’. Finally, an overview of the salient linguistic characteristics of Kosraean English, based on data collected in informal conversations on the island, will be presented. The overall objective is to present a socio-historical, political and linguistic description of a hitherto unexamined English emerging in a postcolonial environment. Schneider, E. (2007). Postcolonial Englishes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Research Interests: Global Englishes

Hamlet's Mobility: The Reception of Shakespeare's Tragedy in US-American and Canadian Narrative Fiction

This essay presents a comprehensive study of how Hamlet figures in North American fiction. Gabriele Rippl takes her cue from Stephen Greenblatt’s notion of Shakespeare’s ‘theatrical mobility’ (Greenblatt, Cultural Mobility. Cambridge University Press, 2010). This initial mobility, based on the playwright’s own borrowings, appears to facilitate, or even instigate further migrations. Rippl proceeds to give an overview of adaptations of Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the USA and Canada, thus providing an insight into the historical and cultural uses to which the play has been put by authors such as John Updike or Margaret Atwood. Phenomena such as the ‘republicanization’ of Shakespeare (James Fenimore Cooper), or his appropriation for a feminist counter-discourse in Canada circumscribe a space for the negotiation of cultural and political identities.

The Modern world dictionary of the English language ... to which is added a compendium of historical, biographical, geographical, scientific, religious, and sociological names, and a complete summary of human achievement in the nineteenth & twentieth centuries ...

Editors-in-chief: Robert Hunter and Charles Morris.

America in English fiction, 1760-1800; the influences of the American Revolution

"America in the novel, 1761-1800": p. 439-442; "The West Indies in the English novel, 1761-1800": p. 443-445; "The East Indies in the English novel, 1761-1800": p. 446-448; "List of chief works consulted": p.449-460.

Origines juridiciales, or Historical memorials of the English laws, courts of justice, forms of tryal, punishment in cases criminal, law-writers, law-books, grants and settlements of estates, degree of serjeant, Innes of court and chancery.

Head-pieces: a few manuscript marginal notes; the "Chronica series" covers the period 1067-1671, and is extended in manuscript through 1727 (with omission of last four columns, magist. rotulorum & c., for 1722-1727.

The origin and growth of the English constitution; an historical treatise ... the gradual development of the English constitutional system, and the growth out of that system of the Federal Republic of the United States,

v. 1. The making of the constitution.--v.2. The after-growth of the constitution.

Modern English literature; a selection of the best known works circulated, with which is embodied a guide to popular works of fiction.

Mode of access: Internet.

Guide to sources of English history from 1603 to 1660 in Reports of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts,

"Aids to the use of the Reports": p. xxii-xxviii

The pedigree of the English people: an argument, historical and scientific, on English ethnology, showing the progress of race-amalgamation in Britain from the earliest times, with especial reference to the incorporation of the Celtic aborigines.

"Original authorities and other works consulted": p. [9]-15.

A formula book of English official historical documents.

pt. 1. Diplomatic documents selected and transcribed by a seminar of the London School of Economics.--pt. 2. Ministerial and judicial records selected and transcribed by a seminar of the London School of Economics.

An historical essay on the Magna Charta of King John : to which are added the Great Charter in Latin and English ; the charters of liberties and confirmations, granted by Henry III and Edward I ; the original charter of the forests ; and various authentic instruments connected with them ; explanatory notes on their several privileges ; a descriptive account of the principal originals and editions extant, both in print and manuscript /

Mode of access: Internet.

A primer of historical English grammar.

Mode of access: Internet.

A dictionary of American English on historical principles,

Paged continuously.