The situation being described by the authors is a phenomenon in the world and transcends not only into the English language, but also other major languages in the world. It just shows that English is evolving, whether written or spoken, and secondary speakers and writers are constantly evolving. There are a lot of countries, especially those occupied by English-speaking natives either through conquest or subjugation, which were taught English by early influencers. Over time, the kind of English they are speaking evolved to cater to the particular aspects of their culture. They may use terminologies which are synonymous to its equivalent in the original English context that they are taught. Those terms may not be from the native country where such version of English came from, but such terminologies are used and they have other terms which they use for such particular object, thing or matter as its equivalent.
We cannot say that the terminologies used by second language speakers are inferior or should not be acceptable to those who are “natively-speaking” it. After all, language is made to adapt depending on the culture of a particular country and there are no rules in which prohibits any writer or speaker that English should only be in a particular form. Since language is constantly evolving, even “native” writers and speakers themselves formulate a set of sub-language that is unique to a particular sub-culture that secondary language speakers are not aware of since they are only taught the basic.
The same goes if “native” writers and speakers would learn Chinese, Arabic or Spanish. They may stick to their versions the interpretation of which would be more understandable in English. Because there may be terminologies that are present in such language but not present in the English language. While English may be one of the lingua franca in the world today, they do not have the exclusive claim to such status. That is precisely the reason why the United Nations adopted the use of at least six (6) official languages to represent the populace speaking and writing in these languages.
I do not agree with the author that secondary language writers may be highly literate in their native tongue. This is just an assumption that had to be clarified. Ability to speak and write in your native tongue does not prove your mastery over the language. Your competence and expertise over a language cannot be judged based on a common perception that you are born in a country where more than a majority of the people are speaking such language. It still depends on your propensity to use the right terms, complying with the rules of its use both written and spoken and your level of proficiency.
The appreciation of the proficiency for English as a secondary language as applied in writing would depend on the kind of audience it seeks to address. The author’s description of the history of writing of secondary language speakers is only common because these writers have no recourse but to relearn writing in English, in the perspective of the native writers for them to be accepted in that field. The stigma that these secondary language writers have to face is not fair, because after all, they learned from native speakers and writers themselves and they can prove their competence such as when they passed the program. Because if such was the case, the people whom they learned this would prove that they are not competent. The student mirrors the teacher.
There must be a program or platform in which these writers shall be promoted. However, since language is evolving writing should also follow. Learning a language should not be confined to its basic, intermediary or advanced levels but should continue to be learned at a professional and graduate school level to maintain proficiency. Most importantly, we should recognize that there are some terminologies better expressed in a particular language and try not to fit it in a language only because it is the dominant language of a particular field of study.
Overall, the ideas of the authors about the history and issues regarding composition writing by secondary language writers presented a good overview of its entire development. But this is only a common phenomenon faced by anyone writing in any other language. They face the same issues. Language is dynamic and only those who are interested to pursue a level of expertise for the same would be able to understand and gain mastery over it.
Writing Studies Journey 