Theoretical Framework

Braj Kachrus Three Circles of English (1985), the most influential of all
models, explains the current sociolinguistic profile of English around the world which
consists of three concentric circles: the Inner Circle, the Outer Circle and the
Expanding Circle. Each represents the types of spread, the patterns of how it is
acquired, and the functional allocation of English in diverse cultural contexts (Kachru).
The inner circle is composed of the countries where English is the majority first
language like the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Australia while
the outer circle is comprised of countries in which English has an official status in
certain countries such as the Singapore and Nigeria but not used by many and the
expanding circle consists countries like Japan, China and Germany where the English
language is only considered as an EFL (Seargeant, 2012).
In the Philippine context, this model explains that Filipinos speak differently in
various social contexts and help discover the social relationships in a community
through the use of their official language as well as their second languages which
include American English.
Scottish linguist Tom McArthurs Wheel Model (1987) conceives of a central
variety called World Standard English which is apparently an idealization, though
there are slight differences between British and American norms in terms of language.
The next circle round the hub is made of 8 regional standards that are emerging. The
outmost layer comprises of localized varieties which may have resemblance with the
regional standards. Grammar wise, such model explains how these two, the British
and American Englishes, though considered as Standard Englishes globally, differ at

certain aspects such as in meanings and usage of words, idiomatic expressions and
slangs and how they are being used according to different situations and contexts
(Mesthrie, 2008).
Although British and American Englishes are both considered World Standard
Englishes, there are certain differences at all linguistic aspects. This is what makes
Philippine English, a localized variety belonging to the regional variety East Asian
Standard English distinct, which is actually based on the central variety, American
English that shares many of its language attributes.
Linguistics Imperialism, proposed by Robert Phillipson (1992) argues that the
worldwide spread of English is the result of orchestrated strategies by countries such as
the USA and the UK who use the language as a means of extending their own political
and economic interests. It also serves as an analysis of relations between the dominant
and dominated cultures, also known as hegemony, and particularly how the English
language learning has been promoted. As a result, the spread of superior culture over
the suppressed became widespread in terms of belief, traditions, ways of living and
especially language. As for the Great Britain, its colonies include India, Pakistan and
Singapore while for the United States, the Philippines, and Liberia are examples of its
colonies (Seargeant, 2012).
This theory supports why the Philippines utilizes American English as its
standard variety of English in education, media, business and religious affairs, since
the United States of America used their language in attempt to penetrate Filipinos
mentality through imperialism back then. As a result, the imperialist became
successful which is why the Philippines use American English even today.

Kachrus Three Circles of English and McArthurs Wheel Model share mutual
characteristics, particularly how they exhibit the spread of English through different
locations around the globe
These theories serve as the frameworks in this study for fundamental
foundations in achieving the main aim that focused in distinguishing how standard
Englishes and other varieties of English differ from one another.