Convergence and endonormativity at phase 4 of the dynamic model

Abstract

At Phase 4 of the Dynamic Model, Schneider (2007) postulates that a stable postcolonial English will gain acceptance in a country, and become endonormative, but it will also be perceived as homogenous. This paper argues that, in a postcolonial language contact situation, multiple contact settings give rise to different postcolonial Englishes, which will not necessarily converge. The number of contact settings should correspond closely to the number of stabilising varieties. Endonormativity will result from identity rewriting, and this should typically happen for an entire country, or at least for the dominant group of English speakers. These refinements on the Dynamic Model are presented with evidence from the United States of America and South Africa, two less typical settings due to the complexity of their population demographics.