Forough Javidfar

The representation of inner , outer , and expanding circles of World Englishes in an animated - film for young learners : Case of Dora and friends : Into the city

The purpose of the current study was to examine which circle of World Englishes- inner, outer, and expanding- was predominantly depicted in the animated films for young learners. To do so, a semiotic analysis of the animated series Dora and Friends: Into the City was done to explore the representation of diversity in English language teaching media. Barthes’s (1973) framework for analyzing visual and verbal signs was used to classify the identified signs from the screen captures into categories including names, animals, famous characters, food, mythical creatures, places, dance styles, music, clothes, ceremonies, music instruments, nature elements, and sport. Kachru’s (1986) concentric circles of World Englishes model was also employed to systematically categorize the analyzed signs to ascertain their representation within the respective circles. A total of 88 relevant instances were documented, revealing 38 instances associated within the inner circle. In contrast, the expanding circle contained 50 instances that highlighted linguistic and cultural diversity, including indigenous elements and local heritage. Notably, a significant gap was identified. No representation from the outer circle nations were found. Alongside to diverse portrayals of cultures found, the study also found specific cultural stereotypes associated with the World Englishes circles. Five cultural stereotypes from the inner circle nations and two related to the expanding circle nations were recognized. These findings have implications for how English language teaching (ELT) media can contribute to developing communicative competence by showcasing the diversity of linguistic and cultural representations. The presence of both the inner and expanding circles in the series reflects a range of cultural elements that can enhance learners’ sociolinguistic and intercultural competence. Additionally, the identified cultural stereotypes enable learners to better understand cultural nuances and avoid oversimplified views, thus enhancing their ability to navigate various cultural contexts effectively in communication.