As English Today notches up a century, it's high time to acknowledge Tom McArthur's inimitable contribution to the study of English worldwide.

Tom McArthur's contribution to English language studies has been immense, and has had a powerful impact at a number of levels. Tom started his life as an educator, gaining crucial exposure to English across the globe very early in his career, when in one of his first jobs teaching English at the Cathedral School in Bombay (Mumbai). After a varied academic career, which included a post at the University of Quebec, Tom returned to the UK to start a new journal for Cambridge University Press, English Today. Tom's brief at that time was to be the founding editor of a journal that would inform a wide readership about the highways and byways of the English language, during an era when English was becoming a global language at an unprecedented speed.

On the occasion of the 100th issue of English Today, scholars from around the world were invited to send their thoughts. Excerpts from messages received up to September 6th, 2009 are presented here.

A few years ago, David Graddol interviewed Tom McArthur about his early background, and about a range of issues concerning the spread of English as a global language. This interview is reprinted here.

One new feature of English Today in this issue, and for future issues, is The ET Column, where we'll be asking people in the know – academics, broadcasters, educators, linguists, teachers and others concerned with English worldwide – to write a column for the journal on issues of controversy, debate, work in the field, and matters of topical and immediate interest. In this issue, David Graddol is writing from India, where he's currently researching English Next: India.

Looking back over 100 issues of English Today, and forward at the prospects for English language museums.

‘ET's success’, said a young-looking Tom McArthur in his first editorial, ‘will depend on keeping one's balance and getting all the ingredients right’. A hundred issues later, we can say with some confidence that he certainly managed it. At the time, I don't think anyone knew exactly what all the ingredients were. Now, looking back over the coverage of those hundred issues, we have a pretty good idea. Who would have expected the journal to be so diverse? There are 18 themes identified in the Index to the first 60 issues, published in ET61. Take a look at them in the panel. It is the extraordinary range of the subject-matter, along with its copious and often quirky illustrations, both textual and pictorial, which has given the journal its identity and appeal. The models we looked at when planning the journal, such as History Today, seem staid by comparison.

Slovenia, like many former Eastern bloc countries, is now coming to terms with the increasing popularity of English.

Today English is the most widely used foreign language in Europe. It is used in business, education, science, the media, advertisements, music, graffiti, and in many other places, although its greatest use can be found in commerce, culture, science and education (Phillipson, 2003). The presence of English is felt more in some parts of Europe than in others, however. In the Scandinavian countries, for example, English manifests itself in all parts of society and the knowledge of English is so high that some consider it a second language (McArthur, 1996). In Eastern Europe, the acquisition and use of English has traditionally not been as widespread, although in recent years, the picture has changed greatly, as English has become more and more popular in what were formerly Eastern bloc countries.

In many ways Slovenia has been following the trends in other Central and Eastern European countries. The influence of English has been growing since the Second World War and in particular after the end of the Cold War. Its influence has intensified even more after Slovenia became an independent country. Today, Slovenes feel both cautious and enthusiastic about English. There is extensive legislation to protect the Slovene language, while at the same time there is a ‘certain enthusiasm for both “western” ideas and the world language, English’ (Schlick, 2003: 4).

In Malaysia, English on the Internet is creating its own hybrid variety.

The Internet has been described as not just a technological revolution, but also a social. Different modes of communication on the internet such as chat, blogs and Twitter are speedily overtaking traditional forms of communication for both professional and leisure activities. In response to the communicative limitations of technology, a unique form of communication has emerged involving the use of new word forms, structures and styles of expression.

This paper discusses the impact of technology on English in Malaysia by examining data samples from blogs, chats/instant messages (IM), e-mails and text messages. We highlight the distinctive features of Malaysian English users from different ethnic groups in this medium. Since Malaysians are generally bilingual and multilingual, we examine how and when different languages are used and comment on the innovation and creativity involved. It is hypothesised that technology impacts on this variety of English which has itself arisen from the globalisation of English, further shaping it, and thus giving rise to new blends and new styles of communication.

The problematic of the use of English as a teaching medium in China.

This paper presents a critical review of the Chinese-English bilingual education initiative from a sociological perspective. It consists of three major sections. The first section briefly discusses French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's (1986, 1991) theoretical work which informs the current critical review. The second section examines some of the major driving forces behind the runaway expansion of English-medium instruction. The final section analyses the implications and consequences of such instruction for China.

Sri Lankan English belongs to the family of South Asian Englishes, of which Indian English is the best known and most established example – although Indian English itself is of course hugely diverse. Indian English and Sri Lankan English have much in common, as both varieties evolved from the English of the British colonials of the nineteenth century, and much common vocabulary developed to describe the common flora and fauna of the two countries, as well as their shared religious and cultural aspects. Both varieties include a number of words of Tamil origin, and many others derived from Sanskrit roots.

The main aims of this paper are to present the argument for the recognition of Sri Lankan English as a distinct variety of English, and to discuss some of the practical issues encountered in compiling a dictionary of this nature.

Some seasonal etymologies.

The origins of many of the words associated with Christmas are as fascinating as they are illuminating. But at this time of year those who celebrate Christmas throughout the world are usually too preoccupied with buying presents, preparing traditional fare, organising parties etc. to bother about the derivations of the words unwrapped along with the presents, only to be used for a couple of weeks before being put away again till next year.

Review of McCully, Chris. 2009. The Sound Structure of English: An Introduction (Cambridge Introductions to the English Language) 264. pp Hardback 978 0 521 85036 0, UK £45, US $90; Paperback 978 0 521 61549 5, UK £15.99, US $32.99; Adobe eBook Reader 978 0 511 51258 2, $26