Non-Standard English Grammatical Features Used by Thai Streamers and English Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Usage

Abstract

In recent years, streamers have increasingly gained popularity among teenagers. Some streamers have also emerged as influential “language teachers” by using English as an international language, while at the same time exposing their viewers to non-standard forms of the language. This study investigates non-standard English grammatical features used by Thai online game streamers and explores English language university teachers' perceptions of non-standard features. Seidlhofer's lexicogrammatical framework was used to analyze the speech of four Thai game streamers. The findings indicated that omitting articles (65.3%) and dropping third-person present tense markers (20.1%) were the most common grammatical deviations among the four Thai streamers. The interview results from eight English university teachers revealed that while most English language teachers prioritized fluency over accuracy, they emphasized that the acceptability of non-standard English usage depends on the context. Overall, the findings suggest a pedagogical shift toward a more flexible approach to English instruction that balances communicative effectiveness with grammatical accuracy, depending on the context.