- published: 13 Sep 2015
- views: 261452
Broken English refers to a poorly spoken or ill-written version of the English language, sometimes considered a pidgin. Under the strictest definition of the term, broken English consists of English vocabulary grafted onto the syntax of a non-English speaker's native language, including word order, other aspects of sentence structure, and the presence or absence of articles in the speaker's native language. Typically, the non-English speaker also strips English phrases of linguistic markings that are not shared with the speaker's native tongue, such as definite articles or certain verb tenses.
In some communities, young people may intentionally adopt versions of the English language that older people consider to be broken English. This has been documented, for example, among the Māori of New Zealand, where the younger generation was more proficient in English than the previous generation, but intentionally made modifications to the language to assert their own sense of cultural identity.
Could have come through anytime
Cold lonely, puritan
What are you fighting for?
It's not my security
It's just an old war
Not even a cold war
Don't say it in Russian
Don't say it in German
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
Lose your father, your husband
Your mother, your children
What are you dying for?
It's not my reality
It's just an old war
Not even a cold war
Don't say it in Russian
Don't say it in German
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
Could have come through anytime
Cold lonely, puritan
What are you fighting for?
It's not my security
It's just an old war
Not even a cold war
Don't say it in Russian
Don't say it in German
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?