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Experts say English slang and regional dialect should not be banned from classrooms but when you re getting to grips with a second language how helpful is it to learn non-standard lingo?
Very, says Sascha Stollhans, of the Department of Languages and Cultures at Lancaster University, who argues that standardised language norms are artificial and language learners should learn about all aspects of language, even the controversial ones.
In his policy paper, just published in the
Languages, Society & Policy Journal, he says: There are concerns among professionals that introducing learners to non-standard language could lead to ambiguity and confusion and that students might be penalised for using it in assessments.