Pseudo-English English as Pseudo-Language as such and as Conceived by Common Italian Speakers

Abstract

This dissertation concerns pseudo-English, the English language in and in relation to different languages and for and between non-Anglophone speech communities in the role of pseudo-language in the form of pseudo-Anglicisms, in Italian and English as a lingua franca, at two levels and with two sets of aims. Firstly, after an in-depth critical survey of the literature on pseudo-Anglicisms and a detailed description of their main formal features in general and in Italian and their study, pseudo-English is interpreted in critical-theoretical terms in itself and in relation to the literature on it to investigate its theoretical implications for some central notions of Linguistics and the role of the English language in and in relation to different languages and for and between non-Anglophone speech communities and to develop an understanding of its general, ultimate communicative value for Italian speakers and non-English speakers in general. In the elaboration of this interpretation, the five research questions conceived to the first set of aims will be given a theoretical answer and the thesis at the core of the dissertation centred on the concept of pseudo-language will be developed and discussed. Secondly, after its presentation and description in terms of its rationale, nature, design, research approach, content and format and the sample and the analysis of the data, the results of an empirical study implemented by means of online questionnaire are analysed to determine how upper-secondary-school common Italian speakers conceive pseudo-Anglicisms and to critically refine and elaborate the critical-theoretical interpretation of pseudo-English in empirical terms in relation to upper-secondary-school common Italian speakers and their conception of pseudo-Anglicisms, in the light of the similarities and differences and the agreement and disagreement between the former and the latter and the relation of the former to the latter. Finally, the results of the questionnaire are discussed, and pseudo-English is interpreted in empirical terms in relation to upper-secondary-school common Italian speakers, to complete the critical-theoretical interpretation of pseudo-English as such with an empirical interpretation of pseudo-English as conceived by these speakers.