Abstract:
The use of Sri Lankan English (SLE) vocabulary among Sri Lankans themselves has
been the focus of some debate. While some studies have found that teachers of English
tend to reject SLE vocabulary, particularly borrowings, in the classroom, other
researchers observe that such avoidance is more prevalent among the so-called non-
standard users of SLE. However, studies that focus on specific types of vocabulary, or
on specific genres of writing, are rare in SLE studies. In particular, despite the current
interest in the pedagogical implications of World Englishes, there are few studies that
investigate SLE used in texts produced in the classroom. This study thus aims to
investigate the use of SLE borrowings in written texts by learners of English who can be
considered users of non-standard SLE. The study takes the theoretical position that the
appropriate use of SLE vocabulary is part of the sociocultural competence, a significant
learner competence, of the learner. Using both quantitative and qualitative approaches,
this exploratory study attempts to analyse the nature and the extent of SLE borrowings
found in 27 informal written samples on a culture specific topic by a group that tends to
be marginalized in SLE studies, the adult language learner of English. The findings of
the study revealed an unexpected extent of usages and identified two strategies of uses,
explication and exemplification, indicating that the so-called non-standard users display
a sociocultural competence that has significant implications for classroom practice
